MIDDLETOWN, PA – The much anticipated three-game series between Penn State Abington and Penn State Harrisburg got underway on Friday and a five-run, seventh inning was the difference as Harrisburg took the opener at home, 7-3.

The teams met for the first time since last year's conference championship. Harrisburg improved to 4-9 overall and 1-0 in the United East Conference while Abington, coming off their huge win over defending national champion Salisbury, fell to 8-5 and 0-1. The two will meet for a doubleheader at Harrisburg on Sunday.

Harrisburg opened the scoring in the first on a solo home run by Kevin Lehner and Lehner also knocked in a run on a ground out in the third.

It remained a 2-0 ballgame until the top of the seventh when Abington tied it thanks to an RBI double by Anthony Bencardino and a run-scoring ground out by Sean Doherty.

However, Harrisburg answered in its half of the seventh with five runs on four hits and two bases loaded walks. Abington got one back in the ninth as Doherty singled in his second run of the day, but that was it for the afternoon.

Abington was held to just four hits on the day by two Harrisburg pitchers and they struck out 12 times. Greg Wiley started and went five-plus innings for Abington, allowing just two runs and four hits while fanning eight.