LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Lock Haven University baseball team (21-28-1, 9-18-1 PSAC East) picked up a pair of thrilling extra-inning wins in a season-ending doubleheader sweep of visiting Mansfield University (18-27-1, 6-21-1 PSAC East).
 
In game one, the Bald Eagles picked up the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth and won 4-3.
 
In game two, Tyson Petersheim (New Holland, Pa./Gardne Spot) drilled a ball over the right field fence with one out in the bottom of the eighth for a walk-off grand slam. Petersheim's grand slam gave the Bald Eagles a thrilling 13-9 victory and their second straight walk-off win.
 
Yesterday (Friday), the two teams opened the four-game series at Mansfield despite poor weather conditions and rain. The story for Lock Haven was the long ball as the Bald Eagles recorded four home runs in the two games. LHU won game one 5-4, but game two ended in a 9-9 tie after seven innings because of rain continuing to fall, heavy at times.
 
Today's sweep marked the end of the 2016 season for LHU and the Bald Eagles 3-0-1 mark in the series with Mansfield helped Lock Haven cap the year at 21-28-1 (9-18-1 PSAC East).
 
LHU's 21 wins are the most in a single season since the Bald Eagles won 21 games in 2009.
 
Prior to game one today, the LHU baseball program took time to honor its two graduation seniors, a pair of pitchers, Parker Watson (Philipsburg, Pa./Philipsburg-Osceola) and Aaron Lidgett (Morrisdale, Pa./West Branch).
 
Parker is ranked among Lock Haven's all-time top-10 in appearances and starts, and Lidgett is ranked second all-time in appearances.
 
Despite just two hits in game one, LHU found a way to win thanks to some late-game thrills.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, LHU scored two runs and tied the game at 3-3.
 
Nick Stotler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Coker College) scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch in the eighth, giving LHU a walk-off victory.
 
Jamie Eshleman (Lewisberry, Pa./Redland) drove in a run in the seventh.
 
Jacob Belinda (Port Matilda, Pa./Tyrone) got the start on the mound and was sensational despite earning a no-decision. He struck out 12 as he dominated Mansfield batters for 6 and 1/3 innings.
 
In game two, the two teams combined for 22 runs on 30 hits.
 
Two of Lock Haven's 13 hits were home runs as the Bald Eagles went homer-happy in the series with Mansfield. Both Petersheim and Eshleman homered in game two for LHU.
 
The Bald Eagles broke open the game with a six-run burst in the fifth, but Mansfield wouldn't go away and for the second time today - and the third time in the four-game series, the two teams went to extra innings.
 
With the game tied 9-9 in the eighth, Petersheim drilled a one-out, walk-off grand slam, which powered Lock Haven to the 13-9 victory.
 
Hunter Szaflarski (Greencastle, Pa./Hagerstown Community College) was 3 for 4 with a RBI and two runs scored. Eshleman finished 3 for 4 with three runs scored and two RBIs, thanks to his two-run homer in the second inning.
 
Watson made the most of his final start for LHU. Despite the no decision, he was solid through six innings and struck out five.
 
Today marked the end of the 2016 season for LHU and head coach Jim Chester. It marked Chester's second full season with the program and the future of LHU baseball certainly looks bright.