MIDDLETOWN, PA (March 28, 2023) – A seven-run sixth inning hampered the Susquehanna University baseball team Tuesday afternoon as they dropped a 14-6 road contest at Penn State Harrisburg.

The River Hawks started the game off taking a 2-0 lead in the first following Lance Book's two-RBI double, but were pitted in a rough bottom half when starter Aidan Piccioni walked his first two batters. Both baserunners used a double steal to advance to second and third before a Piccioni wild pitch brought home PSUH's first run. Piccioni bounced back to strikeout Matt Parks, only to issue in the tying run when he walked Kevin Lehner on the next at bat, on a passed ball that scored Brendan Henn from third. Following another wild pitch and walk, Piccioni handed the ball over to Nathan Dawes, who got the next two outs and escape the first tied at two apiece.

Dawes retired his first two batters in the bottom of the second, but two ensuing Lions singles set up back-to-back home runs from Parks and Lehner that swiftly gave Harrisburg a 6-2 lead. Dawes settled in to silence Harrisburg for the next three innings as the River Hawks built up a comeback bid with a three-run fourth. They opened the frame loading the bases with zero outs for Tyler Hmielewski's RBI single, followed by another ribbie single from Dylan Heydukv that also brought home another run off a throwing error to make the score 6-5.

Harrisburg began their seven-run escapade in the sixth by way of a single and a walk to start the inning with runners on first and second. Brendan Henn's bunt to move them over turned into another run when a throwing error brough home Tim Haftl. With runners at second and third Parks sent a sacrifice fly in to right to take an 8-5 advantage, followed by a wild pitch bringing in Henn to make it 9-5. Lehner continued his 3-for-4 day with a solo homer to extend H'Burg's lead to five, ending Dawes' day in favor of Jack Greco. The result remained the same as his first batter, Maddux Ryan, sent another one over the fence in left center to make it 11-5. A walk and a double followed to put runners at second and third, setting up another pair of runs to be scores on a wild pitch and passed ball, respectively, as the Lions ended the sixth on a 13-5 lead. They would add one more run the next inning when Lehner doubled to left field to bring in Parks from second.

Brian Shane took over to pitch the bottom of the eighth, giving up two hits and using a double play and popout to allow zero runs in his lone inning of work. The River Hawks' last gasp in the ninth produced one run when Christian Biuso reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error. PSUH's Ethan Hannevig pitched the ninth, striking out three batters to finish off the game.

Piccioni walked four with one strikeout, allowing two runs with one earned in 0.1 inning of work. Dawes was handed the loss after pitching 5.0 frames, allowing eight earned runs off eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and three walks, while Greco allowed four runs with two earned off four hits, fanning two with one walk.

The River Hawks combined for eight hits, led by Thomas Romanelli batting 2-for-4 and scoring one run. Book's two-RBI double highlighted his 1-for-3 day. Susquehanna was handed 12 strikeouts from Harrisburg's four-deep pitching lineup, with starter Josh Berzonski going five innings and striking out four, allowing four earned runs, five total, on six hits with three walks. Simeon Davis struck out four in his 2.1 innings of work, giving up no hits with two walks, while Joel Sneeringer had one strikeout and just one hit to get the last two outs in the eighth.

The Lions assembled 14 hits, with five posting multi-hit games. The DH Parks batted 2-for-4 with three RBI's off a double and home run, while Lehner went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI's off his two homers and posting a double. Ryan was 2-for-3 with his solo jack accounting for one RBI, with Lucas Floyd accounting for the team's remaining double in a 1-for-3 day. Henn came across the plate three times in a 2-for-4 day, collecting one RBI and drawing one walk, while Dallas Hite also accounted for three of the Lions' runs, stole three bases, and drew two walks in a 1-for-3 day.

Susquehanna Baseball opens up a home weekend series against Mary Washington with two games Saturday beginning at 1 P.M. and one Sunday at 12 noon.