MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team erupted for a season-high run total in a 14-6 non-conference victory over Moravian on Wednesday afternoon, March 13. Dallas Hite homered, while Drew Sassaman, Kevin Lehner, Tim Haftl, Lucas Floyd, and Alejandro Flores each had multi-hit days. Danny Eden turned in an excellent start, allowing just one hit and striking out seven batters in five innings en route to earning the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions (7-5) used a fast start to rack up their highest run total of the young season and put things out of reach in the early going. Hite wasted no time putting the home team out in front, launching a lead-off home run over the fence in left field. After the blast, Penn State Harrisburg loaded them up before a Carlos Irizarry sacrifice fly plated Sassaman to double the lead. Floyd closed out the opening-inning scoring with an RBI single through the right side that scored Henn.
Eden struck out the side in the top of the second and the Lions tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third, keyed by a Moravian error on an Irizarry bunt that allowed Lehner to score. Haftl followed it up with an RBI single through the left side and Braeden Piotrowski's RBI groundout drove in Haftl to make it 6-0.
Penn State Harrisburg pushed the lead to double digits with a four-run fourth. Irizarry added another sac fly, Floyd drove in a pair with an RBI single up the middle, and Drew Bechtold lined out to center, allowing Haftl to tag up and score from third base.
The home team added another run in the sixth before the Greyhounds (5-6) got on the board with a solo home run in the top of the seventh. The Lions answered right back in the bottom half when Alejandro Flores' single to right field plated Coy Schwanger. Moravian made a late push, scoring a pair of runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth but the comeback effort proved far too little too late.
NOTABLES
- Eden got the start and the win, surrendering just one hit and one walk. He also struck out a season-high seven batters.
- Hite's lead-off home run was the 35th long ball of his career.
- Lehner finished 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored.
- Haftl was 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
- Floyd went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
- Sassman was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
- In his first action of the season, Flores finished 2-for-2 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions open conference play when they host United East foe St. Mary's (Md.) for the first contest of a three-game weekend series on Friday afternoon.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.