WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University Hornets baseball team welcomed the number 22-ranked Penn-State Harrisburg Lions into town on Wednesday afternoon for a non-conference game. The Hornets (23-13) fell to the Lions 3-1 after a two-run home run in the ninth gave Harrisburg the lead.
Michael Meyers got the start for Shenandoah and pitched a gem going eight innings giving up 1 run and scattered three hits and five strikeouts.
Chandler Ballenger picked up the only extra-base hit for the Hornets with a double, while he and
Connor Houser were the only Hornets with two hits in the game.
Gavin Horning got the lone RBI for Shenandoah with a single in the fourth.
Winning Pitcher: Josh Berzonski (4-1)
Losing Pitcher:
Joey Mitchell (5-1)
Top Numbers:
Chandler Ballenger: 2-3, 1 run scored, 1 double
Pearce Bucher: 1-3
Gavin Horning: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 walk
Connor Houser: 2-2
Kyle Garrett: 1-2
Matt House: 1-2, 2 walks
Frankie Ritter: 1-5
Michael Meyers: 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Michael Meyers got the start for the Hornets and after surrendering a lead-off walk, Meyers got the next two outs with a ground out, advancing the runner to third. A single up the middle, off the glove of Ritter, got the first run for the Lions home. Meyers got the last out of the inning to avoid any further damage.
- Frankie Ritter led the inning off with an infield single but then was erased on a beautiful double play ball up the middle. Chandler Ballenger drew a two-out walk, but the Lions got the final out to maintain a 1-0 lead.
- In the second, Meyers got the first batter to strike out a breaking ball with good movement, before retiring the next two batters on fly balls to right and center.
- In the second for the Hornets, Gavin Horning led off and just got thrown out at first on a chopper back to second. Connor Houser lined a ball down the right field line but was erased on an inning-ending double play.
- Meyers picked up another strike out in the third, before getting a ground out to Ritter and getting the final out on a beautiful play that was bunted up the first base line. Meyers ran picked it up with his glove and flipped it backward to get the out.
- In the third for the Hornets, Brody Pickette was robbed of a hit up the middle before Matt House rocketed a ball up the middle for his first hit, but was thrown out trying to steal second with Padilla up at the plate.
- A lead-off single is how the fourth started for the Lions. Harrisburg put a hit and run on, but Pearce Bucher knocked the ball down to get the runner at first. Meyers got the next with a strikeout before Bucher got the final out of the inning.
- Ballenger with one out, launched a ball that just missed being a home run to right center, and was off the wall for a double. Bucher then grounded out to short to allow Ballenger to go to third with two outs. Gavin Horning took an outside pitch to right field to allow Ballenger to score tying the game at 1. Connor Houser roped another ball into right for his second hit allowing Horning to get to third. Haden Madagan crushed a ball to third, but right at the third baseman to end the inning.
- Meyers got the first out in the fifth on one pitch with an acrobatic catch made by Madagan in left. Meyers then got an easy ground out back to him before getting the final out with a strikeout.
- Brody Pickette led the fifth off with an 11-pitch walk after just missing a home run that went foul. Matt House then drew a walk, chasing the Harrisburg pitcher from the game. A wild pitch that came back to the catcher got Pickette at third, but House moved to second. Frankie Ritter lined out to right on a ball that just got caught up in the wind. Harrisburg got out of the inning with a strikeout, and the game remained tied at 1 going to the sixth.
- Meyers got the first out in the sixth, with a strikeout looking but the next batter reached on an error. Meyers got out of the inning on the next pitch with a ground ball back to him, starting the inning-ending double play.
- Chandler Ballenger led the sixth off with a single up the middle and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt from Pearce Bucher. Kyle Garrett came in as a pinch hitter with two outs but fouled out to right field on a diving catch to strand Ballenger at second.
- Meyers retired the Lions in order easily in the seventh.
- Haden Madagan led the home half of the seventh off with a line drive to left field but was erased on a fielder's choice as Brody Pickette could not get the bunt down. Matt House walked again before Frankie Ritter grounded out softly to third to advance the runners to scoring position. Jaime Padilla's chopper to short, just beat him at first to end the threat.
- With two outs in the eighth, the Lions picked up their third hit of the game, but Meyers got the next batter to line out second for the final out.
- With one out in the eighth, Bucher singled through the right side before Horning walked. Kyle Garrett singled to center field on a ball to no-man land to load the bases. Harrisburg got out of the jam to retire the next two batters, and the Hornets left the bases loaded.
- Joey Mitchell came in for relief for the Michael Meyers and got the first out, but after a four-pitch walk, Mitchell gave up a two-run shot to give the Lions a 3-1 lead. Mitchell got out of the rest of the inning unscathed.
- Penn-State Harrisburg retired the Hornets in order in the ninth to secure the 3-1 victory.
UP NEXT:
The Hornets will be back in action at home on Saturday as they wrap up the conference regular season with a doubleheader vs Ferrum. First pitch on Saturday is slated for noon.
#GoSUHornets
