FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team stayed hot at the plate and secured its seventh victory in the last eight outings by outslugging No. 25 Mary Washington in a 14-9 road win on Sunday afternoon, April 12.
Blaine Waltimyer's blazing hot weekend continued with two more hits, two walks, two runs and an RBI, while Alexander Ruiz and Coy Schwanger each extended their recent double-digit hit streaks. James Quici reached base four times and scored three runs, Demetre Koutras III drove in five runs and Nathan Lapp scored three times after working four walks.
After a back-and-forth start to Sunday's matinee, the Lions (22-10) broke open a 7-7 tie with a six-run top of the seventh that saw patient at-bats result in six walks, including three of the bases-loaded variety by Lapp, Quici and Koutras. After reliever Bryant Allison retired the Eagles (20-9) in order in the bottom half, Waltimyer added an insurance run with a sac fly that drove in Quici in the eighth.
Mary Washington got two back in the bottom of the eighth but Cade Baker came on in relief and stymied the home team's comeback attempt with a couple of flyouts and a ground ball to shortstop before finishing things off with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth.
Penn State Harrisburg struck first in the top of the opening frame when Chris Catania was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but the Eagles answered back with three runs in the bottom of the first. Koutras came up clutch with a two-out, bases clearing triple in the top of the second that put the Lions back out in front but UMW retook the lead thanks to a three-run bottom of the third.
Waltimyer led off the top of the fifth with a single to right field and proceeded to swipe second before Ruiz and Catania hit back-to-back doubles that tied things up at 6-6. After Waltimyer was intentionally walked to load the bases in the sixth, Koutras came through again, this time with sac fly that plated Lapp and put the visitors back in front.
The Eagles pulled even in the bottom half but Penn State Harrisburg broke through in a big way with a game-changing seventh, creating a cushion it wouldn't relinquish.
NOTABLES
- Sunday's game was Penn State Harrisburg's 10th this season against a nationally-ranked opponent or program receiving votes in the national polls.
- Their most recent win was the fourth straight in which the Lions scored double-digit runs.
- Koutras tripled, walked twice and drove in five runs.
- Waltimyer reached base four times, scoring two runs, driving in another and stealing two bases.
- Quici had a multi-hit game, walked twice, scored three runs and drove in one more.
- Ruiz doubled to stretch his recent hit streak to 13 games in a row.
- Schwanger extended his hit streak to 10 straight games, drove in two runs and scored two more.
- Lapp walked four times and scored three runs.
- Kaden Pasternak walked three times and added a run.
- Dylan Sattazahn threw just 0.1 innings of relief to earn his fourth win of the spring.
- Baker was excellent in relief, allowing just two baserunners in the final two innings to seal the win.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host Marymount (Va.) for another key non-conference contest on Monday 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.
