MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team completed the weekend sweep of conference foe St. Mary's (Md.) with an 8-3 victory on Sunday afternoon, March 17. Kevin Lehner hit two home runs, while Tim Haftl launched the first long ball of his career. Christian Lubic II earned the win and struck out eight batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lehner got things started for the Lions (10-5, 3-0 United East) in the bottom of the first with a two-out solo home run before the home team tacked on two more in the ensuing inning. Haftl laced the first home run of his career over the fence in the left field before a Brendan Henn RBI single drove in Lucas Floyd from second base with two away.
Lubic cruised to begin the game and recorded three 1-2-3 innings before Lehner was as it again in the bottom of the fifth when he smashed his second long ball of the day over the fence in left center field, bringing Drew Sassaman around with him to make it 5-0 after five.
The Seahawks (2-9, 0-3 United East) finally got something going in the sixth and used a pair of hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch to put up two runs. Penn State Harrisburg answered right back with a crooked number in the bottom half when Henn's bases-loaded single to shortstop drove in Drew Bechtold before a wild pitch allowed Braeden Piotrowski to come home from third base.
The two teams traded runs in the seventh, with the visitors using an infield single to cut the deficit to four in the top half before a Bechtold sac fly drove in Coy Schwanger to push the lead back to five in the bottom half.
Caiden Ertter spelled fellow reliever Jack Maguire in the eighth and did not allow a hit before Riley Blatt came on to close things out in the ninth, retiring the side in order to finish out the win.
NOTABLES
- Lehner went 2-for-5 with a pair of home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored.
- Haftl finished 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.
- Floyd was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
- Henn had a multi-hit day and drove in a pair of runs.
- Bechtold went 1-for-2 with a walk, a sacrifice fly, an RBI, and a run scored.
- Lubic earned his first win of the season on the mound, striking out eight in 5.2 innings of work.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions have a quick turnaround as they travel to Wilson for a non-conference tilt on Monday afternoon.
STAY CONNECTED
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