Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Lancaster Bible baseball team's North Eastern Athletic Conference playoff aspirations took a serious hit on Thursday as the Chargers were swept by Penn St. Abington. The losses drop the Chargers to 2-8 in conference play and 7-14 overall. 

The Chargers held the lead in game one for 6 1/2 innings, before the Nittany Lions roared back to earn a 4-3 victory. Penn St. Abington kept the momentum rolling in game two as they won, 6-0. 

Lancaster Bible starter Nate Long pitched well over six innings as he allowed just five hits and two runs, while striking out seven. The two runs were unearned, but in the seventh, Long got into trouble with the Chargers leading 3-2. A leadoff single by Tom Ditro put the tying run on base and he advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tyler Freeman doubled which scored Ditro and the next batter, Mike Scaringelli was hit by a pitch. That ended Long's day as reliever Mitch Kumher came into pitch for the Chargers. 

A.J. Vagliani reached on a fielder's choice which loaded the bases and pinch-hitter Fran Caruso came up next and singled up the middle to win the game for the Nittany Lions. Freshman Justin Taylor and senior Micah McClay each had three hits in game one, while senior Kody Godsey reached base safely three times, once with a hit and twice by a walk.

The Chargers' offense fell short again in game two as they were shutout and mustered just six hits. Taylor had two of the six hits as he went 5-for-8 over the two games. Lancaster Bible starter Caleb Mayer pitched well as he scattered seven hits over five innings and allowed three earned runs. Nate Burns and Ryan Hartline each had a hit as well in game two.

In order to gain traction in the NEAC playoff race, the Chargers will more than likely have to sweep SUNYIT this weekend in Utica, N.Y. Lancaster Bible faces the Wildcats once on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. and will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.