WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team punched its ticket to the championship round of the United East Tournament with a decisive 17-4 victory over Lancaster Bible at Wilkes' Bruggeworth Field on Saturday night, May 9.
The bats stayed hot as the Lions (32-12) racked up 19 hits on the day. James Quici, Blaine Waltimyer, Demetre Koutras III, and Matthew Johansen each had three-hit games, while Alex Davis hit his first career home run. Bradyn Eckert was stellar on the bump, throwing seven scoreless innings and striking out six en route to earning the win.
Penn State Harrisburg got things rolling right away thanks to a four-run first inning. Koutras drove in a pair with a bases-loaded single to center field, Alexander Ruiz followed with an RBI groundout, and Tim Haftl plated Koutras with a two-out single to left field.
The Lions added on in the third with another four-run stanza. Koutras scored from third on a passed ball and Nathan Lapp laced a triple to center field, scoring Riuz in the process. Kevin Kingsbury followed with an RBI bunt single and Quici smashed a double to right center that drove in Kingsbury to stretch the lead to eight.
The advantage ballooned to 11 in the fifth and 14 in the sixth before Davis crushed a solo home run over the fence in left field to make it 15-0 after seven. After Kaden Pasternak drove in another run in the eighth, Davis capped Penn State Harrisburg's scoring with an RBI single up the middle that brought around Evan Stiles later in the frame.
Eckert was stout on the mound, recording a pair of 1-2-3 innings and scattering seven hits through seven stanzas. Austen Frye threw one scoreless inning of relief before Clint Bricker closed things out in the ninth.
NOTABLES
- Quici finished 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, three runs scored, and an RBI.
- Koutras went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored.
- Waltimyer reached base four times with three hits, a walk, and two runs scored.
- Johansen racked up three hits and drove in a pair of runs.
- Davis finished 2-for-2, hitting his first career home run, driving in two runs, and scoring another.
- Coy Schwanger scored three runs and drove in another.
- Eckert earned the win after throwing seven scoreless innings and striking out six batters.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions will face the winner of Saturday night's elimination game between Lancaster Bible and Penn State Abington in the championship round of the United East Tournament at Keystone on Sunday morning. Penn State Harrisburg needs to win just one game on Sunday to secure the conference title.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.
