CHAMBERSBURG, PA-- After trailing 1-0 for most of game one, a pinch hit home run and a 9th-inning battle at the plate gave the Highlanders the 2-1 victory before falling in game two, 7-0.

Game One: The Highlanders found themselves down a run early in game one, thanks to a Phoenix RBI double in the bottom of the first. From that run, the game turned into a pitchers dual, with both starting pitchers (Carson Conradt for Cairn, Cam Nolet for Wilson) causing strikeout after strikeout in 5 scoreless innings between the teams. Cairn broke the scoring drought first in the top of the 7th inning. Samuel Spadea stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter and crushed a home run to left center, tying the game at one run apiece. In the top of the 9th, Joshua Melchior worked a long at-bat and hit a single to score Tyler Fox and secure the winning run. Bryan Stimpson came in as the Highlanders' closer and induced a flyout, a groundout, and a swinging strikeout to close the door on a Phoenix comeback and solidify a Highlander win, 3-2.

The Highlanders had a relatively quiet game at the plate, with six Highlanders earning one hit apiece. Spadea's home run and Melchior's clutch single drove in the Highlander's two RBIs for the game. Conradt pitched a gem, going 6.0 innings and striking out 9 while only allowing one run. Nat Ross faced seven batters in 2.0 scoreless innings and struck out one, and Stimpson earned the save with a scoreless 9th inning close.

Game Two: After grinding out a close game one victory, the Highlanders' bats fell silent in game two. Wilson was able to scatter 7 runs over 9 innings and take the decisive 7-0 victory to split the doubleheader with the Highlanders.

Cairn was only able to produce three hits at the plate, compliments of Samuel Spadea, Caleb Edman, and Tyler Fox. Starting pitcher Jake Kraihanzel went 4.0 innings and struck out four while allowing two earned runs.

The split decision puts the Highlanders at 2-2 in conference play this season, still in the thick of postseason contention. Their biggest conference challenge comes on Saturday in a doubleheader against Keystone College, who was voted as the top team in the CSAC by the conference coaches in the conference's preseason poll. Although the game is considered a home matchup for the Highlanders, the beginning construction on the Stillman Athletic Complex means that the Highlanders will compete at a neutral site on the campus of Mercer County Community College.