MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Penn College split in the first two games of a three-game series against United East-leading Penn State Harrisburg on Friday, losing the first, 10-0, and winning the second, 8-6, to hand the Lions their first conference loss of the season and snap their 16-game winning streak. The Wildcats now are 11-2 in the UE and 16-12 overall, while PS Harrisburg is 13-1 UE, 23-6 overall.
How it happened: Two Harrisburg pitchers limited Penn College to three hits in recording the first-game shutout. Wildcats' starting pitcher Justin Porter took the loss and dropped to 2-1 on the season.
In the nightcap, Penn College grabbed a 2-0 lead as Cameron Dick homered to left field leading off the second inning and a single to left by Tyler Rudolph drove in Tristan Current in the third as starting pitcher Chance Webb held Harrisburg hitless through three innings.
Penn College made it 3-0 in the fourth when Jacob Carles led off with a double to right and scored on a one-out single to left by Jake Wagner.
The Wildcats added three runs in the sixth with Current driving in two runs with a single to right and the third scoring on a sacrifice fly by Dick.
Harrisburg responded with a single run in its half of the sixth before back-to-back, two-out doubles by Logan Hinnerschitz and Brian Robison put Penn College on top 7-1 in the seventh.
The Lions scored three times in the eighth before Wildcat Shane Price homered to lead off the top of the ninth and extend the Wildcats' lead to 8-4.
A two-run homer by Harrisburg's Brendan Henn ended the scoring in the bottom of the ninth.
Inside the box: Current, Dick, Price, Carles and Robison all finished with two hits in the second game (Current and Price also each had a hit in the opener), and Current and Dick both had two RBIs in the nightcap as the Wildcats out-hit Harrisburg, 13-8. Webb went six innings on the mound, allowing three hits and one earned run, to hike his record to 4-2.
Up next: Penn College is at Penn State Harrisburg to wrap up the series with a single game starting at Noon on Sunday.