The Lancaster Bible College baseball team traveled just thirty minutes northwest on Route 30 to compete against the Lions of Penn St. Harrisburg for their conference opener. In the first of a three-game series, the Chargers fell 4-5 after a home run in the bottom of the eighth put the Lions up one run. The Chargers fall to 2-9 overall and 0-1 in United East play, while the Lions improve to 8-5 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
How It Happened: The Chargers struck early, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Senior
Blake Greenly started things off with a single through the left side of the field.
Brian Coburn stepped up and hit a single to the right side, sending Greenly in for the first score of the game and a 1-0 Charger lead.
Harrison Hobdy followed suit and sent a double right back to right field, scoring Coburn for the second run of the inning. The Chargers led 2-0 after one inning of play.
The Lions continued to remain scoreless, while the Chargers kept their bats hot, adding two more runs in the top of the third. Greenly again began the inning reaching first on an error, then stole second base. Coburn doubled to right, sending Greenly to third, then Hobdy flied out to center field, sending Greenly home for his second RBI of the game.
Adam Naylor kept the momentum going, sending a single back up the middle and scoring Coburn for the Chargers' fourth run of the game and giving the Chargers a 4-0 lead after three innings.
In the next two innings, the Lions managed to tie things up, scoring four runs of their own to make it an even ballgame. Both teams looked to continue to put runs on the scoreboard, but both defenses let little to nothing through. It wouldn't be until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Lions found themselves tied with two outs. The Lions proceeded to hit a home run, their third of the game, giving the Lions a 5-4 advantage and their first lead of the game.
Headed into the top of the ninth and what could potentially be the last shot for the Chargers to pull it off, the Chargers couldn't catch a break and ended up with a 4-5 loss.
By the Numbers: The Chargers had four runs and four RBIs on just seven hits… Coburn and Hobdy added doubles… the Lions had five runs and four RBIs on ten hits… Hite had two home runs and Lehner added one homerun for the Lions… the Chargers had just one error and the Lions had two… Greenly and Coburn both went 2-4 with two runs and Coburn added an RBI… Hobdy added two of his own RBIs, going 1-3.
Information to Know: The Chargers are 5-16 all-time versus the Lions and currently have lost seven games in a row.
Up Next: The Chargers return to Harrisburg, Pa. tomorrow, March 17 to take on the Lions twice more at 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.
