MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - No. 14 Penn State Harrisburg outslugged Lancaster Bible in a 17-8 victory on a rainy Saturday afternoon to advance to the championship round of the United East Volt Division Tournament. 

Demetre Koutras II and Josh Lantz tallied three hits apiece, with Koutras driving in six runs on the day. Danny Eden battled through the elements to earn the win on the mound, while Fisher Druck picked up his first save of the season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Lancaster Bible (12-16-1) took advantage of three errors and scored three runs in the top of the first but the Lions (33-7) answered back immediately in the bottom half, using four hits to plate five runs and take a lead they would not relinquish. 

After the Chargers cut the deficit to one in the second, Penn State Harrisburg responded with three more in the bottom half thanks to a Drew Sassanian sacrifice fly and a two-out single from Carlos Irizarry that drove in Brendan Henn and Braeden Piotrowski. The tournament's top seed tacked on three more in the fourth to push the advantage to 11-4. 

LBC took advantage of two more errors to draw to within three in the top of the fifth but the Lions created some breathing room in the seventh thanks to a pair of runs. Koutras stretched the lead to nine in the bottom of the eighth with a three-run blast over the left field fence and Druck retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to secure the win.

NOTABLES

- Koutras finished 3-for-5 with a home run, a walk, six RBI, and three runs scored.

- Sassaman and Irizarry each doubled as part of their multi-hit outings.

- Henn and Sassaman scored three runs each.

- Irizarry drove in three runs, while Sassaman, Bill Zentmayer, and Piotrowski each had two RBI.

- Eden allowed just one earned run on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

- Druck threw the final four frames and allowed just one hit and one walk, striking out four.

- The Lions swiped seven bags on the day.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions are one win away from a United East Volt Division Championship. They will face the winner of Monday's Lancaster Bible vs. St. Mary's (Md.) matchup that afternoon at 3 p.m. 

STAY CONNECTED 

Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.