MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg baseball closed out the non-conference portion of its 2021 schedule by splitting with Keystone on Tuesday afternoon, April 20. The Lions took game one 13-8 before the visitors were able to earn a comeback victory in the nightcap. Bret Williams had a big day, hitting two home runs across two games and racking up seven RBI, while Matt Parks hit his fifth homer of the season in the opener.
GAME 1
Penn State Harrisburg jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 13-8 victory over Keystone in the opening game of their non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday.
After stranding runners on base in the first inning, the Lions broke through in the second when Chase Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Matt Isaac to come across. Bret Williams followed it up by launching a bases-clearing triple to straightaway center field that gave the home team a 4-0 lead after two frames.
The Giants got on the board with a solo shot in the fourth but the home team answered back when Matt Parks crushed a two-run home run over the fence in right field in the ensuing frame. Maddux Ryan got in on the act with an RBI double that scored Casey Winters and Isaac and pushed the lead to seven after five.
The visitors got three back in the top of the sixth but Williams responded with a solo shot in the bottom half to halt their momentum. Ryan tacked on two more with an RBI single and the Blue & White executed a double steal that allowed Isaac to come across and make it 12-4 through six stanzas.
Winters added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly that plated Parks in the eighth and while Keystone put up a four spot in the top of the ninth, it was far too little too late.
NOTABLES:
- Bret Williams had another monster day, finishing with a combined three hits, including two home runs and a triple, seven total RBI, three runs scored, and a pair of walks.
- Zach Gettys had a great start in the opener, going three innings without surrendering a hit and allowing just one base runner to go along with five strikeouts.
- Reliever Tyler Jackson picked up his fourth win of the spring in game one.
- Matt Parks finished 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored in the first contest.
- Maddux Ryan had a nice first outing, going 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI.
- Chase Smith and Robbie Skinner each had multi-hit outings in the second game. Smith added a triple and scored three runs.
- Errors led to five unearned runs for each team in game two.
- The Lions and Keystone split their season series 2-2 this spring.
- Penn State Harrisburg finished 6-4 in non-conference play this season.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) foe Penn State Abington for a crucial conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, April 24.