WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Aided by a dozen hits that included a couple of long balls, No. 15/17 Penn State Harrisburg led from start to finish in a 10-6 non-conference victory at Wilkes on Wednesday afternoon, March 19.
Blaine Waltimyer and Lucas Floyd each went yard, with Waltimyer scoring three runs and Floyd scoring twice. Brendan Henn drove in a pair of runs and scored two more, while Drew Sassaman also had a multi-hit game. Relievers Jack Maguire and Caiden Ertter were strong, combining to allow just two hits with six strikeouts in the final 3.2 innings.
Waltimyer opened the game with a blast when he hit a lead-off home run to get things started in the top of the first inning. After a Henn double in the ensuing at-bat, Carlos Irizarry brought him home with a sacrifice fly to left field that doubled the early advantage.
Wilkes (9-5) got one back in the bottom of the first but the Lions (12-3) answered back in the top of the second when Lucas Floyd hit his first home run of the season - a two-out solo shot that made it 3-1. Before the inning was through, Henn swatted a two-out single to left field to score Adam Bova and Waltimyer and extend the lead to four runs.
After the visitors tacked on another run in the top of the third, the Colonels started to climb back into it with their first crooked number of the day thanks to a two-run bottom half. They added another in the bottom of the fourth to pull to within two but Penn State Harrisburg slowed the rally with a three-run top of the sixth. A pair of balks sparked Sassaman's trip around the bases and a two-out error allowed Floyd to come across. Demetre Koutras III came through with a key two-out single up the middle that plated Henn to make it 9-4 through five and a half.
Wilkes refused to go quietly, however, and used a two-run bottom of the sixth to get back within striking distance. Maguire settled the Colonels offense down and the Lions added an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Waltimyer scored on a passed ball. The Colonels moved a pair of runners into scoring position in the bottom of the ninth but Ertter worked through it and struck out the final banner to end the game.
NOTABLES
- Waltimyer finished 2-for-4 with with a home run, a double, a walk, three runs scored and an RBI.
- Henn went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored.
- Floyd was 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI.
- Sassaman and Irizarry each scored a run, drove in another and stole a base.
- Maguire threw 2.2 innings of relief, striking out four batters and allowing just one hit.
- Ertter threw the final inning, allowing just one hit and striking out a pair of Colonels.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions begin United East play when they travel to Rosemont for a conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
STAY CONNECTED
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