MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – After suffering in its first loss in more than a month on Friday, Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team bounced back in a massive way in a convincing 23-9 win over United East foe Penn College that clinched the series victory on Sunday afternoon, April 16.

The Lions (24-6, 14-1 United East) racked up 24 total hits, including seven extra-base knocks. Carlos Irizarry, Blaine Waltimyer, and Kevin Lehner each homered, with Irizarry hitting a grand slam and driving in seven runs to lead the way at the dish. Hunter Merritt earned his fifth win of the year on the mound, tallying seven strikeouts and allowing three runs in five innings thrown.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Penn State Harrisburg scored in each of the first six innings of Sunday's 23-9 conference victory over Penn College (16-13, 11-3 United East) that included a pair of six-run frames.

The Lions opened the game with a four spot in the bottom of the first, keyed by a Matt Parks double to right field that drove in Dallas Hite. Parks eventually scored on a passed ball before an Irizarry single in the hole on the left side of the infield plated Kevin Lehner. Waltimyer capped the inning's scoring with a sacrifice fly that drove in Maddux Ryan.

After Merritt retired the Wildcats in order in the second, the home team put up five more runs in the bottom half. Lucas Floyd led off with a triple and Hite drove him in with a single up the middle. A single from Ryan pushed Hite across and a Penn College error allowed Brendan Henn to come home. Parks scored on a passed ball and a Waltimyer RBI groundout plated Ryan to make it 9-0.

After Lehner drove in Hite with a single to center field in the third, Irizarry broke the game wide open with a grand slam that landed beyond the left field fence. Waltimyer made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to right field that made it 15-2 through three.

The Lions surpassed the 20-run mark in the fourth, using three hits, three walks, and passed ball to put up six more runs and balloon the advantage to 21-3. Lehner added the team's third homer of the afternoon in the fifth with a towering solo shot to left field and Penn State Harrisburg added one final score when Ryan Barthlow plated on another passed ball in the bottom of the sixth.

NOTABLES

- Penn State Harrisburg's 23 runs is the second-highest total scored by the team in a game this season.

- Irizarry finished 4-for-6 with a grand slam, seven RBI, and two runs scored.

- Waltimyer was 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI, and a pair of runs.

- Lehner went 3-for-5 with a home run, four runs scored, and a pair of RBI.

- Hite was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, two RBI, and a stolen base.

- Henn went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, an RBI, and two stolen bases.

- Parks finished 1-for-2 with a double, four walks, four runs, and an RBI.

- Floyd was 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

- Ryan walked twice and scored four runs.

- Merritt earned the win after striking out seven and allowing just three runs in five innings thrown.

- Sam Thompson struck out two batters and did not allow a base runner in the eighth.

- Tom Westers threw five straight strikes in the ninth to record a 1-2-3 final frame and seal the victory.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions face another tough challenge when they host No. 3 Shenandoah for non-conference action on Monday afternoon.

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