YORK, Pa. - No. 13 Penn State Harrisburg picked up its 10th win of the season with a 7-2 non-conference victory at York (Pa.) on Tuesday afternoon, March 11.
Demetre Koutras III and Blaine Waltimyer had big days at the plate, with Koutras finishing 4-for-4 and Waltimyer recording three hits, including a pair of doubles. Coy Schwanger and Tim Haftl also had multi-hit games. Sam Thompson earned his first win of the season on the bump, while Jack Maguire and Traeton Sauder turned in strong relief efforts.
Despite chances for each team in the early innings, it wasn't until the top of the third that the Lions (10-1) struck first. Waltimyer got a two-out rally going with a double down the left field line and Carlos Irizarry drove him in with a single to center field. Koutras doubled the advantage with an RBI infield single that plated Irizarry after the former swiped third base.
The visitors produced another run in the the fourth when Schwanger doubled to lead off the stanza and Lucas Floyd drove him in with an RBI groundout two at-bats later. Penn State Harrisburg tacked on another in the fifth when Schwanger's two-out infield single scored Irizarry to make it 4-0 through four and a half.
The Spartans (3-6) took advantage of an error and got on the board with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth but the Lions answered back with another two-out run, this time when Waltimyer singled to right field and drove in Floyd in the top of the sixth.
Baserunners moved into scoring position for the home team in both the sixth and seventh frames, respectively, but Maguire worked out of trouble and stranded Spartans at second base on both occasions.
York (Pa.) finally cut into the deficit with a lone run in the bottom of the eighth but Penn State Harrisburg got it back and added an insurance run for good measure in the top of the ninth. Waltimyer doubled to lead off the stanza before scoring two at-bats later when Koutras added a double of his own. After the Lions loaded the bases, Haftl worked a walk to increase the advantage to a more-comfortable five runs heading to the bottom half.
Sauder entered in the ninth and struck out a pair of batters before inducing a ground ball to Irizarry at third base to seal the win.
NOTABLES
- Koutras finished 4-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Waltimyer was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.
- Schwanger went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
- Haftl was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
- Irizarry finished with a walk, two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
- Thompson got the win after throwing five innings without allowing an earned run.
- Maguire surrendered just one run on five hits in three innings of relief.
- Sauder struck out two in the ninth to preserve the victory.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions begin their weekend in New Jersey by taking on No. 9/10 Salisbury on the campus of Montclair State on Friday afternoon.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.
