MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team secured its fifth straight 30-win season with a sweep of conference foe Valley Forge in a United East Tournament Second Round Series on Saturday afternoon, May 1. The Lions won game one 15-3 before advancing to next weekend's championship series with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.
GAME 1
Penn State Harrisburg (29-12) racked up 17 hits and swatted three home runs in a convincing victory in the opener. James Quici, Kevin Kingsbury, and Demetre Koutras III each had three-hit games, with Quici and Kingsbury going yard. Coy Schwanger added a home run of his own, while Kingsbury and Nathan Lapp drove in three runs apiece. Fisher Druck got the win, allowing just one hit and striking out seven in six innings thrown.
Lapp got the scoring started with a two-run double in the bottom of the second and Kingsbury doubled the advantage with a two-run blast over the fence in left field. Koutras drove in Blaine Waltimyer with a double in the third and Alexander Ruiz added an RBI groundout to stretch the lead to six after three.
The Patriots (13-26) got one back in the fifth but Schwanger answered with a solo shot in the bottom half. After Valley Forge cut the deficit to four in the top of the seventh, Penn State Harrisburg erupted for eight runs in the bottom half. Tim Haftl doubled down the line to drive in a pair, Kingsbury added an RBI single, and Quici put an exclamation point on things with a two-run home run.
Druck didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning and Jack Maguire threw two scoreless innings of relief to end the game.
GAME 2
After an offensive explosion in game one, Penn State Harrisburg (30-12) won a pitchers' duel in game two to earn the series victory over the Patriots (13-27) and advance to the final weekend of the United East Championship Tournament.
Quici finished with a multi-hit game and Blaine Waltimyer drove in two runs. Bradyn Eckert earned the win after allowing just two runs and striking out six in six innings of work. Cade Baker secured his third save of the year, striking out four of six batters faced in the final two frames.
Valley Forge struck first with a lone run in the top of the second but Kingsbury came through with a two-out, RBI single that scored Ruiz from third and tied the game after four. Waltimyer provided the game-changing swing in the fifth when his base knock to right center drove in Evan Stiles and Quici, giving the Lions their first lead of the contest.
The visitors cut the deficit in half with a lone run in the sixth but Eckert stranded a pair of baserunners when he struck Braedon Tunnel to end the threat and the inning. Baker entered in the top of the eighth and quickly retired three straight batters. He saved his best for last, striking out the side in the ninth to seal the win and send Penn State Harrisburg on in the conference championship tournament.
NOTABLES
- Quici was 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored in game one.
- Kingsbury finished 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored in the opener.
- Koutras went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and a pair of RBIs in the first outing.
- Blaine Waltimyer was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in the opening game.
- Schwanger hit his second home run of the season in the first contest.
- Druck picked up his sixth win of the spring in the opener, striking out seven and allowing just one run on one hit in six innings thrown.
- Maguire threw two scoreless, hitless innings of relief to end game one.
- Quici had a two-hit game, doubling and scoring a run in the nightcap.
- Waltimyer drove in a pair of runs in game two.
- Eckert earned the win in the second contest, allowing just two runs and striking out six in six innings thrown.
- Baker secured the save, striking out four of the six batters he faced in the final two innings of game two.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions will take part in the final weekend of the United East Championship Tournament at Keystone beginning on Friday afternoon, May 8.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.
