MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team was unable to make an early lead stick in a 6-4 loss to Elizabethtown on Tuesday afternoon, April 5.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Penn State Harrisburg (10-14) led for much of the game but couldn't hold off a late charge by Elizabethtown (14-12) in a narrow non-conference defeat on Tuesday afternoon.

Dallas Gilbert got the start on the rubber and turned in the best outing of his young collegiate career, allowing just two runs on three hits in 5.2 innings of work. At the plate, Chase Smith was the lone Penn State Harrisburg batter to have a multi-hit game. 

The Lions took advantage of five walks and used two of the prettiest bunts you'll ever see to score four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Kevin Lehner, Maddux Ryan, Jake Stasyk, Matt Parks, and Brendan Henn all worked bases on balls, while Drew Sassaman and Smith laid down perfect bunt singles with the bases loaded to drive in runs. 

Gilbert worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the third and was aided by a beautiful diving stop by Sassaman at second base that ended the threat. The freshman hurler continued to cruise until the Blue Jays finally got on the board with a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the sixth.

From there, the visitors added two more runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings and despite the Blue & White loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, they were unable muster the crucial hit that could have tied things up and extended the game.

NOTABLES

- The Lions had plenty of chances to extend their early lead but ultimately left 14 runners on base.

- Penn State Harrisburg was patient at the dish and worked 11 walks on the day.

- Dallas Gilbert got the start and went 5.2 innings, striking out three batters and allowing just two run on three hits.

- Chase Smith went 2-for-5 with an RBI bunt single. 

- Matt Parks, Brendan Henn, and Drew Sassaman also drove in one run apiece.

- Maddux Ryan's seventh-inning double was Penn State Harrisburg's lone extra-base hit of the game.

WHO'S NEXT? 

The Lions get back to conference play when they host United East foe Penn State Berks for the first outing of a three-game series on Friday afternoon, April 8.

STAY CONNECTED