WINCHESTER, Va. - Kevin Lehner holstered the mightiest swing of the season until the ninth inning of Wednesday's 3-1 victory over Shenandoah at SU's Kevin Anderson Field at Bridgeforth Stadium, unloading the chamber with a two-run, opposite field home run that lifted No. 19/22 Penn State Harrisburg to its ninth straight victory.

In a game in which they managed just four hits, the Lions (28-7) found a way, led by Lehner's late-game heroics and a fantastic combined effort on the mound from starter Christian Lubic II and reliever Josh Berzonski. Lubic allowed just one run before giving way to Berzonski who earned the win by throwing five scoreless innings with six strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Following a four-pitch Irizarry walk with one away in the top of the ninth, Lehner went the opposite way and bashed a 1-0 offering over the right field fence to break a 1-1 tie and give Penn State Harrisburg a two-run lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Berzonski quickly put the game to rest in the bottom half, retiring the Hornets (23-13) in order and closing it out with a game-ending strikeout. His most impressive feat came in the eighth, when he struck out back-to-back batters to escape a bases-loaded jam unharmed. 

Trailing 1-0 through three and a half innings, Shenandoah broke through and tied the game with a two-out single following a double earlier in the stanza. 

The Lions struck right out of the gate in the top of the first when Lehner came through with a two-out, RBI single up the middle following a Brendan Henn leadoff walk and groundouts from Drew Sassaman and Irizarry that moved him over to third.

NOTABLES

- With the victory, the Lions extended their recent win streak to nine in a row.

- Lehner finished 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and a run scored. With his two-run blast in the ninth, he reached the 50-RBI mark for the season.

- Berzonski entered in the fifth, threw five scoreless innings, and struck out six to earn his fourth win of the spring.

- Lubic got the start and allowed just one run on six hits in four innings of work.

- Carlos Irizarry and Brendan Henn each walked and scored a run.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions return to conference play when they travel to Penn College for the first game of a 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.