MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - No. 20/20 Penn State Harrisburg avenged a narrow loss at Scranton earlier this month by returning the favor with a 17-6 rout of the Royals on Thursday afternoon, April 24.
Moises Gonzalez had a three-hit day, Drew Sassaman drove in three runs and Blaine Waltimyer and Brendan Henn each had two RBIs. Christian Lubic II improved to 3-0 on the season, allowing just two runs in five inning of work to go along with a pair of strikeouts.
The Lions (27-9-1) struck first in the bottom of the second when they used five hits and a pair of errors to put up six runs and take control of the game. Coy Schwanger drove in the first run of the day before Sassaman's first sacrifice fly of the game scored Carlos Irizarry. Waltimyer drove in a pair with a single up the middle, Lucas Floyd plated on a wild pitch and Henn scored Waltimyer with a single through the right side.
Penn State Harrisburg added three more in the top of the third, beginning with another sacrifice from Sassaman, this time on a well-placed bunt that plated Gonzalez on a squeeze play. A Floyd double drove in Schwanger and Henn scored him two at-bats later with a single to center field.
The Royals (16-16) finally broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth but the Lions answered right back with six more in the home half. Alexander Ruiz, Gonzalez and Sassaman all drove in runs to help put up the third crooked number of the game for Penn State Harrisburg.
Scranton scored one in the top of the sixth, as did the home team in the bottom half when Coy Baker singled up the middle and plated Tim Haftl. Sam Merchant put a bow on the game's scoring when he came around on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
NOTABLES
- Penn State Harrisburg racked up 18 total hits, including four doubles.
- Gonzalez finished 3-for-5 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.
- Henn, Ruiz, Schwanger and Baker each had multi-hit games.
- Waltimyer and Henn drove in two runs apiece.
- Sassaman had three sacrifices and drove in a game-high three runs.
- Floyd scored a game-high three runs.
- Lubic allowed just two run in five innings thrown.
- The Royals committed six errors on the day.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions return to conference play when they travel to Valley Forge for a United East doubleheader on Sunday 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.
