BRANDYWINE, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team put up a crooked number in the fourth inning and never looked back in a comfortable 15-6 conference victory over United East foe Penn State Brandywine on Wednesday afternoon, April 15.


James Quici drove in four runs, scored another, and swiped a bag, while Coy Schwanger tallied three RBIs. Braeden Piotrowski scored three runs and drove in two more, Matthew Johansen had a multi-hit game, and Nathan Lapp reached base four times. Sam Thompson picked up his fourth win of the spring, allowing just two runs on three hits in 5.1 innings thrown.


After three scoreless frames, Penn State Harrisburg (24-10, 11-0 United East) broke through in a big way in the fourth, scoring five runs on four walks and a pair of singles. Blaine Waltimyer scored the game's first run on a Tim Haftl sacrifice fly, Lapp worked a walk with the bases loaded, and Quici drove in a pair of runs with a two-out, RBI single to center field.


Penn State Brandywine (13-14, 4-5 United East) got one back in the bottom half but Thompson stranded a pair of baserunners to thwart any potential rally. After he retired the home team in order in the bottom of the fifth, the visitors scored four runs on four hits in the top of the ensuing stanza. Schwanger came through with a two-out base knock that plated Lapp and Quici before Waltimyer singled home Schwanger to stretch the lead to nine.


The visiting Lions added two more in the seventh thanks to back-to-back, bases-loaded walks by Quici and Schwanger. Brandywine cut the deficit to seven with two runs in the bottom half but Penn State Harrisburg answered with three more in the eighth, with Johansen, Piotrowski, and Quici each driving in runs before a steal of home by Piotrowski pushed the advantage to double digits.


After the home team got two back in the bottom of the eighth, Cade Baker entered in relief to shut things down before giving way to Bryant Allison to close things out in the bottom of the ninth.


NOTABLES
- Penn State Harrisburg, which ranks seventh in the nation in walks, added 14 more bases on balls on Wednesday.
- As a group, the Lions stole seven bases in the win.
- Quici finished 2-for-3 with a walk, four RBIs, and a run scored.
- Schwanger drove in three runs and scored another.
- Piotrowski walked twice, scored three runs, and drove in three more.
- Lapp reached base four times, walked twice, scored two runs and drove in another.
- Johansen went 2-for-4, drove in one run and scored one more.
- Demetre Koutras III worked two walks and scored a pair of runs.
- Haftl and Kaden Pasternak scored two runs apiece and each walked twice.
- Thompson earned the win after throwing 5.1 innings and allowing just two runs on three hits.
- Baker did not allow a hit in his 0.2 innings of relief.
- Allison struck out a pair during his ninth-inning appearance.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions travel to Catholic for a non-conference tilt on Saturday afternoon.


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