MANHEIM, Pa. - No. 21/25 Penn State Harrisburg opened its 2025 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of UMass Dartmouth at Manheim Central on Saturday, Feb. 22. In the season opener, the Lions (2-0) used a big sixth inning to turn a close contest into a comfortable 9-3 victory before Blaine Waltimyer's heroics in the 11th inning secured a thrilling 9-8 walk-off win in the nightcap.


Danny Eden got the game one start for Penn State Harrisburg and opened the spring by striking out the side in the top of the first. In the bottom half, the Lions manufactured their first run of the season when Drew Sassaman worked a walk, stole second and was driven home by a two-out Coy Schwanger single to left field. 


The Corsairs (0-2) broke through in the top of the fourth, using a pair of walks, a hit by pitch and a double to put up two runs and take their first lead of the day but Penn State Harrisburg eventually drew even in the bottom of the fifth when Brendan Henn doubled to drive in Matthew Johansen and tie things up at 2-2. 


The flood gates opened for the Lions in the bottom of the sixth, with Carlos Irizarry leading off with a double to right center before an RBI single from Demetre Koutras III put Penn State Harrisburg back on top. Johansen and Sassaman added RBI singles of their own to make it 5-2 before an Alexander Ruiz double to right field cleared the bases to push the lead to 8-2. Schwanger drove in his second run of the game with a single up the middle that scored Ruiz and the Lions took a 9-2 advantage into the final frame.


UMass Dartmouth got one back in the top of the seventh but Dylan Sattazahn closed the door with a game-ending strikeout to put the finishing touches on an impressive season-opening victory. 


The second outing provided free baseball, as the Corsairs were able to erase an 8-1 deficit and pull even with a two-run home run in the top of the eighth. Penn State Harrisburg moved runners into scoring position with no outs in the bottom of the eighth but couldn't push a run across. UMass Dartmouth loaded the bases in the top of the ninth but Bradyn Eckert worked out of trouble and used an inning-ending strikeout to keep things tied. 


The Lions loaded the bases again in the bottom of the ninth but for the second straight inning, they were unable to strike the decisive blow. Eckert struck out the side in the top of the 10th but Penn State Harrisburg was retired in order in the bottom half as well. The top of the 11th saw the Corsairs move a runner into scoring position but Eckert proved game again, striking out the final batter of the frame to strand the potential winning run.


The bottom of the 11th saw the Lions load the bases again thanks to a Braeden Piotrowski lead-off walk and a pair of intentional free passes for Ruiz and Irizarry. After UMass Dartmouth walked the latter to get to Waltimyer, the lefty made the Corsairs pay when he swatted the game-winning single through the right side, scoring Piotrowski and setting off a celebration and securing the doubleheader sweep on opening day. 


Much of the damage was done by Penn State Harrisburg in the early innings, with Irizarry blasting a two-run home run in the third before Henn launched a two-run shot of his own in the bottom of the fourth. 


NOTABLES
- Irizarry went 4-for-9 on the day with a home run, three runs scored, two RBIs and a pair of walks.
- Henn finished 4-for-9 across two games with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. 
- Ruiz racked up two doubles, six walks, three RBIs and two runs scored during the doubleheader
- Schwanger finished the day with three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored.
- Waltimyer went 3-for-4 with a double, two walks and the game-winning RBI in the nightcap.
- Sassaman stole three bases and scored three runs across both contests. He also surpassed the 100-run mark for his career.
- Koutras drove in three total runs on the day.
- Eden earned the game one victory and struck out six batters.
- Fisher Druck got the start in game two and struck out nine batters in 4.2 innings thrown.
- Eckert got the win in the nightcap after striking out eight without allowing a run in three innings of relief. 


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions wrap up opening weekend when they travel to Stevenson for a single game on Sunday evening. 


STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.