MIDDLETOWN, PA – The York College baseball squad topped the Penn State Harrisburg Lions by a score of 17-12 in a slugfest this afternoon in Middletown, Pennsylvania.

The Spartans are now 10-12 and 6-9 in the league while the Lions are 5-18 and 2-13 in the CAC following the loss.

The Spartans started off with a bang in the top of the first as Brad Wenzel (Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood Area) ripped a double with one out in the inning. Wenzel then advanced to third on a wild pitch and touched home plate to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead as Stephen Miele (Allentown, Pa. / Salisbury) grounded out to second.

Logan Countryman (Baltimore, Md. / Loch Raven) and Christian Bilan (Lumberton, N.J. / Camden Catholic) got the ball rolling again for the Spartans as they hit back to back singles in the top of the second. The Spartans would extend their lead to two as J.J. Oleniacz (Great Falls, Va. / Langley) ripped an RBI double.

In the bottom of the third, the Lions came roaring back. After Kyle Buchman doubled, Kevin Kremer launched a two-run homerun to tie the game at two.

The fourth inning would prove to propel the Spartans back in front. Derek Pitzer (York, Pa. / Dallastown) led off the fourth with a single. After Sean Mohollen (Rose Valley, Pa. / Strath Haven) walked and Bilan was hit by a pitch, Seth Brosius (Magnolia, Del. / Caesar Rodney) came to the plate with bases loaded and one out. Brosius would not need to swing the bat for the Spartans to add another run as Pitzer scored on a passed ball. Later in the at bat, Brosius hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Mohollen to increase the Spartan lead to two. The Spartans added three more runs as Oleniacz drilled an RBI single and Scott Steffy (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East) crushed a two-run home run, giving the Spartans the 7-2 lead.

After Spartan pitcher Andrew Tucci (Birdsboro, Pa. / Daniel Boone) got two straight fly outs to start the bottom of the fourth, Troy Taber singled and advanced to second on a Spartan error. Brendan Miller then hit an RBI single to cut the Spartan lead to four.

Lion's pitcher Mark Artley came in to relieve Tom Chaney in the top of the fifth. The Spartans made the Lions pay as Miele led off with a double and advanced to third on a single by Pitzer. Mohollen was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. After Bilan reached on a fielder's choice, Miele being forced out at the plate, Brosius roped a two-run single, scoring both Pitzer and Mohollen. Oleniacz then singled to load the bases again. Bilan would score on another passed ball by the Lions to give the Spartans the 10-3 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Kremer reached base on a Spartan error and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two straight walks to Bryan Balshy and Josh Brubaker loaded the bases up for the Lions. The Lions cut the lead to six as Chris Iocca reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Kremer from third.

Another big inning for the Spartans started off with a pitching change as Bobby Patterson relieved Artley in the top of the sixth. Leading off, Wenzel singled and advanced to second on a Lion error. Pitzer then doubled to score Wenzel from second. After Mohollen was hit by a pitch, Countryman recorded an RBI single, scoring Pitzer. For the second out in the inning, Bilan grounded out but advanced Mohollen and Countryman up a base. A wild pitch then scored Mohollen from third. Another Lion fielding error scored Countryman, giving the Spartans the 14-4 lead.

The Lions would not quit as Miller led off with a walk and advanced to second as Buchman singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth. After Miller and Buchman both advanced 90 feet on a passed ball, Tom Denniston drew a walk to load the bases for the Lions. Kremer then hit a two-run single, leading to Spartan head coach Mike Scappa making the call to the pen as Chris Wolf (Staten Island, N.Y. / Moore Catholic) came in to relieve Tucci. The Lions made the Spartans pay as Balshy crushed a three-run home run to cut into the Spartan lead. The Lions would add another run later in the inning, trimming the Spartan lead to four.

Pitching dominated the seventh and eighth for both teams until the Spartans came to the plate in the top of the ninth. After a single and two straight Lion errors, the Spartans added a run to extend the lead to 15-10. Wenzel then singled, scoring Brosius. The Spartans tallied their third insurance run of the inning as Oleniacz scored from third due to a strike out-throw out attempt.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kremer singled and advanced to second as Blashy was hit by a pitch. Brubaker then singled to load the bases with one out. The Lions added two runs due to another hit by pitch and a passed ball but that would not be enough as the Spartans escaped the possible disastrous inning with a 6-4-3 double play to seal the 17-12 Capital Athletic Conference victory.

Tucci earned his third victory of the season as he allowed eight runs on six hits in 5.1 innings pitched. He struck out six and walked seven in the win. Wolf gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits in 0.1 innings of action. Ben Demchak (Phoenix, Md. / Hereford) recorded two strikeouts in his 1.1 inning of relief. Zach Philippi (Levittown, Pa. / Harry S. Truman) gave up two runs on two hits while striking out two in his two innings of work.

Chaney suffered the loss as he allowed seven runs on seven hits in four innings pitched. He recorded four strikeouts. Artley gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits in his one inning of action. Patterson allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits in one inning of work. Brian Goodling gave up three runs, zero earned, on two hits in two innings out of relief.

Oleniacz had a day at the plate as he tallied three hits and three RBI for the Spartans. Wenzel and Pitzer each recorded three hits while Countryman and Bilan added two a piece. Brosius notched three RBI while Steffy added two on the day. Four other Spartans contributed with an RBI in the win.

Kremer led the Lions with three hits while Brubaker and Buchman each added two hits. Three other Lions tallied a hit. Kremer recorded four RBI while Balshy added three and Iocca contributed two in the loss.

The Spartans travel to Frostburg, Maryland on April 8 for their fourth straight game to face the Frostburg State Bobcats in a Capital Athletic Conference event. First pitch is slated for 3:30 pm.  

Recap written by Sean Naylor- Athletic Communications Student Assistant