MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – The second-ranked Salisbury University baseball team moved within one win of a third straight regional championship, splitting a pair of games at Penn State Harrisburg in the best-of-five NCAA Regionals on Saturday afternoon at Nittany Field. The Lions rallied to walk off with a 12-11 victory in Game Two, while the Sea Gulls bounced back to a 13-5 win in Game Three.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• The Lions opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. With runners on second and third and two out, Maddux Ryan came home on a wild pitch to make it 1-0 PSH.
• The Sea Gulls broke up the shutout in the top of the fifth. Stephen Rice tripled to lead off, then after a hit batsman Zach Geesaman brought Rice home with a sacrifice fly. Two batters later Cameron Hyder and Ben Anderson ripped back-to-back RBI doubles, and pinch-runner Roman March later scored on an error that put SU in control, 4-1.
• PSH seized control back in the home fifth. Brendan Henn blasted a two-run home run, then Ryan capped three straight singles with an RBI knock to tie the game. After a walk, Blaine Waltimyer notched a two-run single, and another runner scored on a passed ball to make it 7-4 Lions.
• Kevin Lehner's two-run homer in the sixth boosted the PSH advantage to 9-4.
• Salisbury came roaring back with a seven-spot in the eighth. Kavi Caster started things off with a one-out base hit, then Danny Sheeler clubbed a two-run big fly to right. After a Jacob Ference double and Rice single plus a wild pitch, Luke Weddell singled to left to plate both runners and get it back to 9-8.
• Geesaman's double moved Weddell up to third, then Scott Cameron tripled both runners home to put SU back on top. Cameron in turn scored on a passed ball to make it 11-9 Sea Gulls.
• Undaunted, the Lions mounted another rally in the bottom of the ninth. Waltimyer tripled with one out, then two batters later Lucas Floyd hit another three-sacker to plate Waltimyer. Down to his team's final strike, Dallas Hite went deep to center for a walk-off two-run homer, drawing Harrisburg even in the series in dramatic fashion, 12-11.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Danny Sheeler finished 1-for-5 with a two-run homer. The blast was Salisbury's 57th home run in 2023, breaking the 2009 program record for most team dingers in one season.
• Scott Cameron batted 2-for-4 with a triple, run and two RBIs.
• Kavi Caster and Stephen Rice combined to go 5-for-9 with a triple and three runs scored.
• Corey Burton (2-1) took the loss after giving up three runs in the ninth; he pitched two inning in relief.
• Jackson Balzan lasted 4.2 innings in a no-decision, surrendering six runs (five earned) on eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts on 74 pitches.

PENN STATE HARRISBURG GAME NOTES

• Dallas Hite finished 1-for-6 with the walk-off two-run home runs and two runs scored.
• Brendan Henn and Kevin Lehner each clubbed two-run homers.
• Blaine Waltimyer finished a big fly shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, run and two RBIs.
• Hunter Merritt (6-1) scooped up the win in relief with an inning and two-thirds' scoreless work over the eighth and ninth.
• Fisher Druck matched Balzan with a 4.2-inning no-decision, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts on 65 pitches.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 3

• Playing as the visiting team, the Lions landed the first blow for the third straight game. Brendan Henn walked with one out in the top of the first inning, then after a fielder's choice and a double, Maddux Ryan scored on a passed ball to make it 1-0.
• Stephen Rice singled to lead off the second and moved up to second on a sac bunt-plus-error. Two batters later Max Ehrhardt singled Rice home to tie the game at 1-1.
• Dallas Hite belted a solo home run to left in the third to put PSH back up 2-1.
• Salisbury found its groove at the plate in the bottom of the fifth. Danny Sheeler and Jacob Ference produced the tying run on back-to-back doubles, then after a flyout and error, Scott Cameron vaulted SU in front 3-2 with an RBI double.
• Ehrhardt tripled to right center to bring home two more, and after a pair of walks and a popout Sheeler drew a free pass to force in another and make it 6-2.
• The Lions clawed one run back in the sixth as Lucas Floyd tagged an RBI single to get it within 6-3.
• Sheeler homered to lead off the eighth and burst open the floodgates. SU loaded the bases with two doubles and an intentional walk, then Ehrhardt and Cameron Hyder were each plunked to force in a run. Luke Weddell cracked a two-run double, then after another hit batman Sheeler brought home Hyder with a sac fly, and Ference singled home Weddell to make it a seven-run rally and a 13-3 cushion.
• PSH put up two more runs in the ninth on a Matt Isaac RBI double and a passed ball, but it was too little, too late as the Sea Gulls wrapped up their second win of the regional.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Danny Sheeler went yard in the second straight game, going 2-for-3 with a double, homer, two runs and three RBIs. Sheeler now has 12 home runs this season, moving him into a tie with Jacob Ference for the team lead and within one of Dave Westervelt's 1998 single-season program record of 13.
• Max Ehrhardt provided a huge spark from the nine-hole, finishing 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs and four RBIs.
• Cameron Hyder scored his 200th career run to break the SU program record previously held by Justin Meekins '21; he finished 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, two walks and the record-breaking step on the plate.
• Stephen Rice batted 3-for-6 with his 50th career double and two runs scored. Rice's two-sacker moved him into a tie with Greg Lemon '06 for second in program history; he is now one back of the record of 51 held by Mike Celenza '10.
• Ference went 2-for-6 with a double, run and two rib-eyes.
• Luke Weddell, Zach Geesaman and Scott Cameron also doubled, giving seven two-sackers out of nine extra-base hits for the game.
• Benji Thalheimer (4-0) powered through five strong innings for the win, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts on 95 pitches.
• Tyler Villa earned his first career save by pitching all four frames out of the bullpen, surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits with four walks and five punchouts on 83 pitches.

PENN STATE HARRISBURG GAME NOTES

• Dallas Hite followed up his walk-off home run from the opener with a solo shot, finishing 1-for-5.
• Lucas Floyd batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Matt Isaac ripped a pinch-hit RBI double and scored a run.
• Simeon Davis (3-2) was saddled with the loss in relief after letting in three runs on four hits over 2.2 innings.
• Hunter Merritt lasted an inning and a third in a no-decision, giving up one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts on 38 pitches.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls and Lions will battle in Game Four of the NCAA Regionals on Sunday at 10 a.m., with Game Five (if necessary) scheduled for 45 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.
• Salisbury can clinch the regional title with one win, while PSH needs to take both games to advance.
• PSH will play as the home team in Game Four, while a Game Five home side would be determined by a coin flip.

Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 22 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 188 conference championships and 44 Academic All-Americans.

To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.