CAC Playoff Tournament – Game 1
Penn State Harrisburg 13, Southern Virginia 5
Harrisburg Lineup
1. Torres 2b, 2. Smith cf, 3. Williams lf, 4. Van Houten dh, 5. McSorley ss, 6. Winters rf, 7. Koroneos 1b, 8. Struve 3b, 9. Kell c, Gettys
SVU Lineup
1. Morin ss, 2. Roll rf, 3. Critchfield 1b, 4. Taylor 3b, 5. Anderson cf, 6. Tyse dh, 7. Blunt c, 8. Nase 2b, 9. Layden lf, Daniels p
How It Happened
Penn State Harrisburg opened the 2019 Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Playoff Tournament with a 13-5 victory over Southern Virginia at Salisbury's Sea Gull Baseball Stadium on Friday morning, May 3.
Bret Williams had a big outing, going 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four runs batted in. Zachary Koroneosadded a home run of his own, drove in three runs and scored two more. Zach Gettys got the start and the win on the bump, while Tyler Jackson recorded the save.
The top of the first inning saw the Knights (15-18) use a two-run home run to get on the board first but Williams answered with a two-run shot of his own in the bottom of the frame before the Lions (29-10-1) grabbed their first lead of the game when Ethan Kell's single through the right side scored Casey Winters in the bottom of the second. Miguel Torres added a sacrifice fly and Chase Smith drove in Jackson Struve to push the advantage to 5-2 after two.
SVU got one back in the top of the third but the Blue & White went on to score the game's next eight runs. Williams added his second homer of the game in the fifth before driving in Torres with a sac fly in the seventh. Before the seventh was through, McSorley drove in Smith, Travis Van Houten came around with the help of an error and Koroneos launched a three-run shot over the fence in right field. McSorley tacked on one more thanks to a double that plated Williams in the eighth.
The Knights brought a pair across in the top of the ninth but Jackson was able to stem the tide, close out the contest and send Penn State Harrisburg to a matchup with the hosts from Salisbury later in the day.
At the Plate
- Bret Williams led the way, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored.
- Zachary Koroneos was 2-for-4 with a home run, a pair of runs scored and three driven in.
- Ryan McSorley went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Chase Smith finished with a pair of walks, two runs scored and one RBI.
On the Mound
- Starter Zach Gettys earned his sixth win of the year after allowing just three runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings of work. He struck out six batters.
- Tyler Jackson recorded his fourth save of the season, throwing the final 3.2 innings and surrendering just two runs on six hits.
- SVU starter Riley Daniels took the loss after giving up five earned runs on six hits and three walks in five innings pitched.
- The Lions chased Jason Newbold from the game after scoring six runs on three hits and three walks in 1.1 innings of relief.
Around the Diamond
- The Knights finished with four errors but they led to just one unearned run.
- The Blue & White committed just one error.
- Miguel Torres racked up five assists from his second base position.
- Chase Smith finished with three putouts in center field.
CAC Playoff Tournament – Game 2
Penn State Harrisburg 5, No. 6 Salisbury 0
Harrisburg Lineup
1. Torres 2b, 2. Smith cf, 3. Williams lf, 4. Van Houten p, 5. McSorley ss, 6. Winters rf, 7. Koroneos 1b, 8. Aug c, Struve 3b
SU Lineup
1. Hyder rf, 2. Meekins cf, 3. Monaghan dh, 4. Barry ss, 5. Haas lf, 6. Gutekunst 2b, 7. Perry 1b, 8. Mayo c, 9. Bonesteel 3b, Adkins p
How It Happened
Penn State Harrisburg picked up its second win of the 2019 Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Playoff Tournament in as many outings thanks to a 5-0 shutout of the hosts from No. 6 Salisbury on Friday afternoon, May 3.
The Lions (30-10-1) got a brilliant pitching performance from Travis Van Houten, with the starter throwing a nine-inning complete game, surrendering just six hits, allowing no runs and striking out seven batters. Bret Williams and Zachary Koroneos each added solo home runs, while Ryan McSorley had a multi-hit game.
After homering twice in the opener against Southern Virginia earlier in the day, Williams kept rolling when he put the Blue & White on the board with a massive solo shot over the batter's eye in center field in the top of the first inning.
The visitors took advantage of a wild pitch in the top of the third when Tyler Aug came across on an errant offering from SU starter Jimmy Adkins. Koroneos added to the advantage with a solo home run to right center field in the top of the fifth before Penn State Harrisburg tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth thanks to RBI singles from McSorley and Casey Winters.
Meanwhile, Van Houten impressed on the bump. After surrendering three singles to begin the fourth inning, he stranded all three runners to preserve the Lions' 2-0 lead. He got Jimmy Monaghan to ground into a double play to end a threat in the sixth stanza and finished things off with a strike out that left the bases loaded to end the game and send the Blue & White to day two of the tournament with a chance to advance to the championship round with one more victory.
At the Plate
- Bret Williams finished 1-for-4 with a home run and a pair of runs scored.
- Zachary Koroneos went 1-for-4 with a homer and a run scored.
- Ryan McSorley was 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
- Chase Smith doubled, while Tyler Aug went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a walk.
On the Mound
- This was Travis Van Houten's day. The starter earned the win after throwing a complete-game shutout, surrendering just six hits and one walk and striking out seven batters.
- Jimmy Adkins suffered his first loss of the year for Salisbury. He exited after allowing five runs on seven hits in seven innings of work.
- SU reliever Jason McDonough allowed just one hit and one walk in the game's final two innings.
Around the Diamond
- With the victory, Penn State Harrisburg recorded its second 30-win season in a row.
- The game was clean, defensively, as neither team committed an error.
- Catcher Tyler Aug threw out SU's Tyler Mayo attempting to steal in the sixth inning.
- Shortstop Ryan McSorley had four putouts and assisted on three more.
Who's Next?
Having yet to suffer a loss, the Lions will face Salisbury on Saturday morning with a chance to move on to next weekend's CAC Championship Round with a victory. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. If necessary, a second game would be played later in the day.
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