MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team defeated conference foe St. Mary's (Md.) 13-3 on Friday afternoon to extend its recent win streak to 14 in a row and clinch its second straight United East Regular Season Championship.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Thanks to Friday's 13-3 victory over St. Mary's (Md.) (12-13, 8-10 United East), Penn State Harrisburg (24-14, 17-2 United East) secured the program's second consecutive regular season conference championship. The Lions will now play host to next weekend's the United East Tournament.

Dallas Hite was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Matt Parks went 1-for-2 with two walks, three RBI, and a pair of runs scored, and Maddux Ryan finished 2-for-5 with a grand slam, a double, five RBI and a run scored. Chase Smith and Drew Sassaman also had three-hit games. Drew Harshbarger earned his fifth win of the year on the mound, striking out nine in five innings thrown.

With the Lions clinging to a 5-3 lead in the top of the eighth, the Seahawks loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a lead-off walk and back-to-back singles. Enter reliever Kevin Maiolo who proceeded to strike out consecutive batters before working a lineout to Hite in left field that left them loaded to end the threat.

The Blue & White responded an eight-run bottom half, highlighted by Ryan's opposite-field grand slam that just stayed fair, slipping inside the left-field foul pole to make it 11-3. Penn State Harrisburg tacked on two more insurance runs thanks to passed balls and reliever Roberto Barron closed out the ninth to seal the regular season title.

NOTABLES

- The regular season conference championship is the second in a row for Penn State Harrisburg.

- Maddux Ryan hit a grand a slam, a double, and racked up five RBI.

- Dallas Hite went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

- Matt Parks walked twice, drove in three runs, and scored two more.

- Chase Smith and Drew Sassaman each had three-hit outings.

- Drew Harshbarger struck out nine batters in five innings and earned his fifth win of the year.

- Kevin Maiolo was excellent in relief, striking out a pair and leaving the bases loaded during a crucial eighth-inning appearance.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions wrap up their weekend series with St. Mary's (Md.) with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

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