Middletown Pa. - The Lions only had to use two pitchers today in back to back wins over the Lancaster Bible Chargers. Clint Hicks (State College, Pa. / State College) and Jim Klingerman (Telford, Pa. / Souderton) each pitched complete games on way to a 2-1 first game victory and 8-3 win in the finale.
The Lions have really started to roll in the second half of this spring season after a mediocre start this year going 2-6 in their opening eight games, things have now changed. Saturdays double header wins gives them a ten game ongoing win streak.
The first game of the double header was truly a pitching and defensive battle. The Lions starter Clint hicks only gave up 6 hits in his seven innings getting the win and a complete game. On the offensive side, Branden Rutt (Ephrata, Pa. / Ephrata) was hit by a pitch and stole two bases before scoring the first run of the game on a throwing error. Travis Crammer (Cerritos, Cal / Cerritos) had the games only RBI in the fifth inning, which in turn was the game winning run after the Lions, gave up one run in the top of the sixth.
In game two, the Lions pitcher Klingerman fought off a couple of runs in the 4th and 5th inning where the team gave up three runs; shutting out the Chargers in every other inning. Harrisburg's bats came alive in game two after a change in the era. Best announcer in the league, Jason Noll had some fun by starting the 2nd and 5th inning with the team's retro walk up songs from previous seasons. Ironically enough the retro batters Colton Houseal (Maytown, Pa. / Donegal), John Cataldo (Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove), Tim Gonzalez (Whittier, Cal. / St. Paul), and Cody Henry (Halifax, Pa. / Halifax) combined in the two innings to go for 5-7, helping to get the team going and scoring a total of 4 runs in the two innings.
Harrisburg won the second game 8-3. Big hitter of the day was Brian Balshy (Palmyra, Pa. / Palmyra) who went 4-7 in two games, scoring one run and getting one RBI. The Lions host SUNY IT tomorrow in a double header match up starting at noon.
Click her for post game comments from Coach Bown and Today's Pitchers.