MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - No. 12/13 Penn State Harrisburg overcame a slow start and scored seven unanswered runs to secure a 7-4 conference victory over United East foe Saint Elizabeth on Wednesday afternoon, April 9.


Brendan Henn and Blaine Waltimyer each had multi-hit outings that included doubles, while Demetre Koutras III walked three times. Sam Thompson earned his second win of the spring after throwing 4.2 innings of relief and allowing just two hits, while Caiden Ertter secured the save with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.


The Eagles (12-14, 5-3 United East) jumped on the home team early, using three singles and a sacrifice bunt to plate a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. The Lions (22-5-1, 7-1 United East) stranded a runner in scoring position in the second and the visitors made it hurt with another run in the top of the third. Penn State Harrisburg was unable to take advantage of Waltimyer's lead-off double in the bottom half and Saint Elizabeth tacked on one more thanks to a bases-loaded walk in the top of the fourth.


The Lions finally put it together in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a Matthew Johansen single up the middle before Lucas Floyd singled through the right side and Waltimyer drove in Johansen with a single to deep center field. Henn cut the deficit to two with an RBI single up the middle that scored Floyd and an error led to two unearned runs that tied things up after five.


Thompson retired the Eagles in order in both the sixth and seventh frames before Penn State Harrisburg took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the seventh when Johansen worked a bases-loaded walk. A wild pitch allowed Alexander Ruiz to score to double the advantage and Henn did more damage in the eighth when his double to left center drove in Drew Sassaman and stretched the lead to three.


Ertter entered in the top of the ninth, induced a pair of fly balls and struck out the final batter he faced to close the door on the come-from-behind win.


NOTABLES
- Henn finished 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Waltimyer was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
- Koutras walked three times and scored a run.
- Johansen was 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
- Sassaman stole his 18th base of the season.
- Thompson improved to 2-0 on the spring, throwing 4.2 innings of relief and allowing just two hits to earn the win.
- Ertter earned his second save of the season, retiring Saint Elizabeth in order in the top of the ninth.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions continue conference play when they travel to Penn State Abington for a United East doubleheader on Saturday 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.