MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team extended its recent win streak to nine in a row with a 5-3 victory over Stevens on Sunday afternoon, March 24. Carlos Irizarry homered, scored two runs, and drove in two more to lead the way at the plate, while starter Fisher Druck picked up the win and reliever Josh Berzonski earned the save.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions (13-5) put up three runs in the first inning, tacked on a few more in the middle stanzas, and used another strong relief effort from Berzonski to hold off a Stevens squad that entered the day riding a six-game win streak.
After Druck retired the Ducks (12-6) in order to begin the contest, Kevin Lehner got the scoring started with a double to right center that drove in Coy Schwanger and Drew Sassaman in the bottom of the first. Before the frame was through, Irizarry added another run with an RBI single through the right side that plated Lehner from third base.
Druck worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the third and Irizarry rewarded him by lacing a solo home run over the fence in left center field in the bottom half to stretch the early lead to 4-0 after three.
The visitors finally broke through in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of a couple of free bases to score their first run on a wild pitch with two away. The Lions answered back in the bottom half, however, with a throwing error allowing Irizarry to reach as a lead-off base runner. The home team rallied with two outs as Tim Haftl's single to left center moved Irizarry to third before Braeden Piotrowski pushed the lead back to four with an RBI single to right field that brought Irizarry across.
Stevens got going in the seventh, plated a pair of runs, and threatened to add another with two runners on and only one out but Sassaman flashed the leather by ranging to his right to snag a ground ball before stepping on second and firing across to Brendan Henn at first to complete the double play and preserve the 5-3 advantage.
Berzonski settled in and struck out the side in the top of the eighth before working around a two-out single in the top of the ninth to thwart the Ducks' comeback hopes, secure the save, and seal the team's ninth straight win.
NOTABLES
- The victory was Penn State Harrisburg's ninth in a row.
- Irizarry went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two runs scored and a pair of RBI.
- Lehner finished 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored.
- Piotrowski was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
- Druck got the win, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in five innings of work.
- Berzonski secured his second save of the spring, striking out four and surrendering just two hits and a walk in three innings of relief.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions travel to Rowan for a marquee non-conference matchup against the nation's seventh-ranked team.
STAY CONNECTED
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