MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Drew Harshbarger etched his name in the Penn State Harrisburg record books when he became just the second player in program history to throw a no-hitter during a 9-0 victory over Wells in the first game of a North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, April 3. The Lions used plenty of offense to secure an 18-3 win in the nightcap and complete the two-game sweep to remain undefeated in conference play.

GAME 1

Drew Harshbarger threw a 7-inning, complete-game no-hitter to lead Penn State Harrisburg to a 9-0 shutout victory over Wells in the opener on Saturday. The hurler allowed just three base runners and struck out 11 batters on the day. Maddux Ryan was strong in the box, hitting two doubles, driving in a pair of runs, and scoring another.

The Lions got the scoring started in the bottom of the second when a Wells error allowed Ryan to score after a lead-off double. Later in the same frame, Dallas Hite scored thanks to a passed ball and Bret Williams drove in Robbie Skinner with a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the next stanza, the Blue & White added three more runs when another error allowed Matt Isaac score before a Chase Smith 2-RBI triple plated two more.

Harshbarger did his part by striking out the side in the top of the fourth and a Ryan double in the bottom of the sixth plated two more for the home team. The hurler put the finishing touches on his historic outing by striking out the final three batters he faced to secure the win and send the Penn State Harrisburg dugout into a celebratory frenzy.

GAME 2

The Lions followed up Drew Harshbarger's dazzling pitching display with an offensive outburst in an 18-3 victory over Wells in the second contest of Saturday's twin bill. Bret Williams hit a 3-run home run and Casey Winters added a solo shot in the win.

Penn State Harrisburg used five hits and an error to put up five runs in the bottom of the second inning and while the visitors did get one back in the top of the third, Winters responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the stanza to push the advantage back to five runs.

The Express got a little momentum rolling by scoring a pair and cutting the deficit to 7-3 in the top of the fifth but the Blue & White quickly answered back with a crooked number in the bottom of the sixth, using four hits, four walks, and a hit by pitch to tack on seven runs. Williams put an exclamation point on the inning's scoring with a 3-run missile over the left field fence that made it 14-3.

The home team added four more insurance runs in the seventh before reliever Noah Karichner struck out the final three Wells batters he faced to end the game.

NOTABLES

- Drew Harshbarger joined former pitcher Derek Slagle as the only players to record a no-hitter in program history. Slagle's no-no came against Penn College on April 16, 2013.

- Harshbarger's 11 strikeouts are the most by a Penn State Harrisburg pitcher this season.

- Chase Smith's game-one triple was his second 3-bagger of the spring.

- Maddux Ryan (2) and Matt Parks doubled in the first contest.

- Ryan was the lone Penn State Harrisburg player to have a multi-hit performance in the opener.

- As a group, the Blue & White walked 10 times in game one.

- Bret Williams' home run in game two was his fifth of the young season.

- Casey Winters' homer in the nightcap was his first of the spring.

- Williams, Parks, Matt Isaac, Dallas Hite, Ben Closson, and Robbie Skinner each had multi-hit efforts in game two.

- As a whole, the Lions had five extra-base hits in the second contest, including three doubles and two home runs.

- Blue & White pitching combined to strike out 23 batters across both games.

- Penn State Harrisburg has won its last six in a row.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions face a tough test when they travel to Keystone for a non-conference doubleheader on Monday afternoon, April 5.