MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team defeated United East rival Penn State Abington twice on Sunday afternoon to complete the three-game weekend sweep of their conference foe. The Lions held on for a 5-3 victory in the opener before a Matt Parks' walk-off solo home run proved the difference in a 1-0, 11-inning win in the nightcap.

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg (5-9, 2-0 United East) jumped out to a first-inning lead and never gave it up in a 5-3 victory over conference foe Penn State Abington (8-5, 0-2 United East) in the opening contest of a United East doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

The hometown Lions took advantage of early miscues by the visitors, including three first-inning errors. The trio of mistakes combined with three walks and a hit by pitch led to four runs for Penn State Harrisburg in the bottom of the opening frame.

Penn State Abington cut the deficit in half in the top of the third thanks to a two-out double from Ryan McCarty to deep right field that plated a pair of baserunners. Penn State Harrisburg answered back in the bottom half, however, when a Brendan Henn ground ball allowed Kevin Lehner to score following another Abington error.

After a McCarty fielder's choice drove in a run in the top of the fifth, starting pitcher Zach Gettys came through with an inning-ending strikeout to strand a pair of runners. Reliever Kevin Maiolo pitched a scoreless top of the sixth before Danny Eden secured the save by stranding two more Penn State Abington runners in the seventh.

GAME 2

Matt Parks provided game-winning swing in the 11th inning of a 1-0 Penn State Harrisburg (6-9, 2-0 United East) victory over Penn State Abington (8-6, 0-2 United East) to complete the three-game weekend sweep for the hometown Lions.

A pitcher's duel for much of the day, Penn State Harrisburg starter Hunter Merritt and Penn State Abington's Justin Himmelreich were outstanding for the entirety of their outings, as was Penn State Harrisburg reliever Tyler Stabley. Not until Himmelreich exited after nine innings did the hometown Lions finally push the game-winning run across.

With one away in the bottom of the 11th, Parks launched a Ryan McCarty pitch the opposite way that hung in the wind and carried right over the fence in left field to end the game and send the home dugout into a frenzy.

Parks' solo shot provided some redemption after Penn State Harrisburg failed to score after the leadoff men reached base in the bottom of the seventh, eighth, and 10th innings, respectively.

NOTABLES

- Matt Parks' game-winning solo shot was his third of the season.

- Brendan Henn was 2-for-4 in game two.

- Kevin Lehner went 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs scored in the opener.

- Five errors doomed Penn State Abington in game one.

- Penn State Harrisburg's pitching was excellent in both games, with Hunter Merritt and Tyler Stabley combining to allow just two hits in game two.

- Merritt got the start, going 5.1 innings, surrendering just one hit, and striking out three.

- Stabley earned the win, throwing the final 5.2 innings, giving up just one hit, and striking out four batters.

- Jaden Himmelreich threw a gem in the nightcap for Penn State Abington, going nine innings and surrendering just five hits to go along with six strikeouts.

- In the opener, Zach Gettys recorded the win, throwing five innings, allowing three runs on three hits, and striking out four.

- Kevin Maiolo was strong in relief in game one, allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings thrown.

- Danny Eden secured the save in the first contest after recording the final two outs.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions head north for a non-conference outing at Susquehanna on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.

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