ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – No. 21/28 Penn State Harrisburg closed out its opening weekend with a comfortable 18-3 non-conference victory at North Carolina Wesleyan that sealed the series win on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 21.


As a unit, Penn State Harrisburg (2-1) racked up 18 hits on the day. Alexander Ruiz and Jon Morgante each had 3-hit games, while Chris Catania drove in five runs. After Sam Thompson got the start and allowed just one run in four innings of work, reliever Traeton Sauder earned the win.


The Lions took an early lead when Demetre Koutras III drove in Blaine Waltimyer with an RBI single in the top of the first but NC Wesleyan (1-6) took advantage of an error in the bottom half and plated a pair of runs to pull ahead. The visitors responded with a 3-run top of the second, however, with Catania, Morgante, Waltimyer and Coy Schwanger all driving in runs during the frame.


Thompson stayed strong on the bump and retired the Battling Bishops in order in the third and fourth stanzas before Penn State Harrisburg put things out of reach with an 8-run top of the fifth. Piotrowski got the scoring started with a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch allowed Ruiz to cross during the next at-bat. Catania followed with a single to right field that drove in Matthew Johansen and Piotrowski, and Morgante tacked on another with a base knock that plated Catania. Schwanger eventually brought Morgante around with a single to center field and Ruiz used another base hit to drive in Waltimyer and Schwanger, pushing the advantage to 12-2 in the process.


Morgante picked up another RBI in the sixth when his single up the middle scored Tim Haftl from second base and the Lions put up another crooked number in the seventh to stretch the lead to 17-2 through six and a half. NC Wesleyan got one back in the bottom of the eighth but Morgante picked up another RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth.


Reliever Cade Baker entered in the ninth and closed things out with a 1-2-3 bottom half to seal the series victory.


NOTABLES
- Penn State Harrisburg's bats came to life to the tune of 18 hits, all of which were singles.
- Catania finished 2-for-5 with five RBIs and a run scored.
- Morgante went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
- Ruiz was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs.
- Schwanger, Koutras and Piotrowski also had multi-hit outings.
- Six Penn State Harrisburg batters were hit by pitches in the contest.
- Thompson got the start and threw four innings, allowing just one earned run on three hits.
- Sauder got the win in relief, striking out a pair in one inning of work.
- Parker Zook, Caiden Ertter, Bryant Allison and Baker each threw one inning of relief.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host UMass Dartmouth for a 3-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 28.


STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.