NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team missed out on a golden opportunity to take the opening contest of a two-game doubleheader at Christopher Newport on Sunday afternoon, March 13. The Captains erased a three-run ninth-inning deficit and walked off with an 8-7 win in the opener before completing the sweep with a 20-6 victory in the nightcap. 

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg (3-8) was in control for most of the contest and took a 7-2 advantage into the bottom of the eighth inning but couldn't make it stick in a narrow game-one loss to Christopher Newport (11-5) on Sunday afternoon. 

Zach Gettys turned in a stellar start on the mound, going six innings and allowing just two runs on five hits to go along with 10 strikeouts. Kevin Lehner and Drew Sassaman had multi-hit outings, with Lehner doubling twice and driving in a pair of runs. Dallas Hite scored a team-high two runs from the top of the lineup. 

The Captains struggled to figure out Gettys until Justin Bowers broke through with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, cutting an early 3-0 deficit to one run. The Lions responded, however, scoring one run in the sixth, another in the seventh, and two in the eighth to extend the advantage to five with one a half frames remaining. 

In the bottom of the eighth, CNU used a walk, three straight singles, and a sac fly to put up two runs and draw to within three but it was the final frame that saw things come unraveled for the Lions. The home team scored four runs on just two hits in the bottom of the ninth, with three walks and a game-ending wild pitch proving the difference in the Captains' come-from-behind victory. 

GAME 2

Penn State Harrisburg (3-9) had its chances to jump out in front of Christopher Newport (12-5) in the early innings but struggled to convert before the Captains used an 11-run fourth frame to put things out of reach in Sunday's nightcap. 

Dakota Wright and Julian Belardo provided the highlights at the plate for the Blue & White, with Wright going 2-for-4 and driving in a pair of runs, while Belardo was 1-for-1 with a solo home run and a walk. 

The Lions moved a runner into scoring position in the top of the first but couldn't score him but the largest missed opportunity came in the next frame when Matt Isaac, Maddux Ryan, and Wright singled in consecutive at-bats to begin the second but the visitors came away empty handed, as three straight strikeouts ended the threat.

CNU got on the board in the bottom of the second but a Chase Smith double and a Brendan Henn walk in the top of the ensuing stanza gave Penn State Harrisburg some life. Unfortunately, the story of the game was the runners left on base, as the Blue & White were unable to push anyone across for the third inning in a row. 

The home team tacked on two more in the bottom of the third before blowing it open with an 11-run fourth. The Lions put up four runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth but the rally proved too little to overcome the double-digit deficit. 

NOTABLES

- Zach Gettys turned in his best start of the young season in the opener, striking out 10 in six innings of work and allowing just two runs on five hits. 

- Kevin Lehner had a nice game one, going 2-for-5 with two doubles, a pair of RBI, and a run scored. 

- Drew Sassaman went 2-for-3 in the first game with an RBI and a walk. 

- Dallas Hit scored two runs with a single and a walk from the leadoff spot in the first outing. 

- Dakota Wright was the lone Penn State Harrisburg player to have a multi-hit game two. He also drove in a pair of runs.

- Julian Belardo finished 1-for-1 with a solo home run and a walk in the nightcap. 

- Chase Smith and Kyle Serine each doubled in the second game. 

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions will look to shake off the taste of their last two outings when they travel to Susquehanna for a single game on Wednesday afternoon, March 16. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.

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