MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Despite coming back from an early 7-0 deficit and taking a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, No. 19 Penn State Harrisburg couldn't hold off a late Arcadia barrage in a 13-8 setback on Thursday afternoon, March 6.


Blaine Waltimyer, Demetre Koutras III and Matthew Johansen each had multi-hit days, with Waltimyer adding a double and a walk and Johansen scoring a pair of runs. Carlos Irizarry also doubled, while Lucas Floyd scored twice.


Arcadia (4-3) raced out to an early advantage, using two walks, a hit by pitch and an error to put up four runs in top of the second. Before the Lions (6-1) could regroup, the Knights put up another crooked number in the third, plating three more runs on three hits and another Penn State Harrisburg error.


The home team finally got the bats going in the bottom half when an Irizarry ground out scored Floyd and an Arcadia error allowed Brendan Henn come around from second. Waltimyer and Alexander Ruiz added back-to-back RBI singles with two outs to cut the deficit to a more manageable 7-4 after three.


The Lions tacked on their fifth run in the bottom of the fifth when a bases-loaded error by the Knights allowed Johansen to score with two away and bring the home team to within two.


Bradyn Eckert entered in relief in the top of the seventh and worked back-to-back 1-2-3 innings to keep the deficit to two. In the bottom of the eighth, Penn State Harrisburg got going again when a Tim Haftl sacrifice fly drove in Floyd. Drew Sassaman scored the tying run on a wild pitch and Koutras put the Lions in front for the first time with a two-out RBI single that plated Irizarry.


Clinging to a one-run advantage in the top of the ninth, Penn State Harrisburg struggled to get the pivotal first out and a walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases. The Knights took advantage, hitting a grand slam to take back the lead before tacking on two more to put things out of reach and hand the Lions their first loss of the season.


NOTABLES
- Waltimyer finished 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and an RBI.
- Johansen went 2-for-5 and scored two runs.
- Koutras was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Floyd finished with two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
- Irizarry added a double, an RBI and a run.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions face Hartford on the campus of Christopher Newport on Saturday morning before taking on the hosts later that 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.