BALTIMORE - In a game that featured strong pitching on both sides, No. 21/25 Penn State Harrisburg did just enough at the plate to secure a 4-2 victory at Babb Field on the campus of Johns Hopkins on Sunday afternoon and earn the weekend sweep of a Johnson & Wales squad receiving votes in the national rankings.
Starting pitcher Fisher Druck set the tone on the mound, throwing five innings without surrendering an earned. He allowed just two hits and racked up seven strikeouts. Benjamin Ross made a quality relief appearance and Traeton Sauder earned the first save of his young career.
The Lions (5-0) managed just four hits on the afternoon but got a timely two-run double from Brendan Henn, as well as an RBI single from Blaine Waltimyer and a bases-load walk from Lucas Floyd to account for the day's scoring.
In the bottom of the third, Johnson & Wales (0-3) took advantage of a Penn State Harrisburg error and used a two-out double to strike first with an unearned run.
The Lions finally got things going in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a lead-off walk from Matthew Johansen that was followed up by back-to-back singles from Demetre Koutras III and Waltimyer, with the latter driving home the tying run in the process. After Koutras advanced to third base and Waltimyer swiped second, Henn doubled to right field, scoring them both and giving Penn State Harrisburg a 3-1 lead.
Patience at the plate aided paid off in the top of the sixth, as Coy Schwanger and Waltimyer bookended walks around a Johansen single to center field. Floyd worked a two-out, bases-loaded free pass that plated Schwanger and increased the advantage to three through five and a half frames.
The Wildcats got one back in the bottom of the seven thanks to a solo home run but Ross worked out of trouble and stranded a runner at third to end the threat. Sauder entered in the bottom of the eighth and recorded back-to-back 1-2-3 innings to slam the door and J&W and pick up his first save of the season.
NOTABLES
- Druck earned his first win of the season, allowing just two hits and one unearned run to go along with seven strikeouts in five innings of work.
- Sauder secured the save by throwing the final two innings without allowing a baserunner and striking out three batters.
- Johansen finished 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
- Waltimyer was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
- Henn went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBIs and a stolen base.
- As a group, the Lions stole four bases on the day.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host DeSales for their home opener on Tuesday 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.
