WASHINGTON – Gallaudet University broke through in the sixth inning of the second game with two runs to break a 1-1 tie with visiting Penn St.-Harrisburg as the Bison baseball team won, 3-2, at Hoy Field. The Nittany Lions won the first game by the same margin, 3-2.

Penn St.-Harrisburg starting pitcher Troy Taber (1-2) ran into trouble in the decisive sixth when sophomore Justin Strong (Charlotte, N.C.) and senior Tom Pangia (Hammonton, N.J.) singled to start the bottom of the sixth. Fellow senior Mitchell Bensman (Russia, Ohio) moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Kyle Gumm (Dallas, Texas) singled up the middle to score Strong and move Pangia to third. Sophomore Zack Crawford (Newnan, Ga.) reached on a fielding error by the Nittany Lion third baseman as Pangia scampered home. That ended Taber's day as Tom Chaney came in from the bullpen.

Freshman starting pitcher Dylan Hayes (Endicott, N.Y.) attempted to finish the complete game in the top of the seventh but after a lead-off walk, Hayes was moved to right field to make way for sophomore Blake Phillips (Dalton, Ga.). The Nittany Lions (15-23) scored one run on two hits and one throwing error from Phillips but they left the bases loaded as Josh Brubaker lined out to Bensman, at shortstop, for the final out.

Hayes (1-6) earned his first collegiate win as he allowed two unearned runs on five hits, five walks and struck out two. Phillips earned his first save with his one inning of work for the Bison (8-26).

In the first game, Hayes had the clutch hit when he doubled down the left field line to bring home Crawford and freshman Jake Grindstaff (New Market, Md.) as GU took a 2-1 lead in the fifth.

Penn St.-Harrisburg responded with its own two-run inning in the sixth. Junior starting pitcher Albert Blake (Derby, Conn.) got the first two batters out before he ran into trouble. A single and a walk with two outs ended Blake's day as junior Ben Coleman (St. Paris, Ohio) entered from the bullpen with two runners aboard. Cody Henry singled to load the bases before Coleman threw a wild pitch and a Grindstaff passed ball allowed two runs to score.

Tyler Johnston came in to close out the seventh as the Nittany Lions held onto the 3-2 lead. Johnston struck out one, walked one before ending the game on back-to-back groundouts to the shortstop.

Hayes and Crawford led the Bison with two hits each as GU had six hits in the loss.

Gallaudet will close out its home regular-season schedule on Saturday when the Bison play host to North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) rival Penn St.-Berks at 1 p.m. The doubleheader will also mark Senior Day.