CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Penn State baseball team fell 13-1 in the series finale at Virginia on Sunday at Disharoon Park. Kyle Hannon and Cole Bartels each collected two hits, including a double. Penn State is now 3-7 on the season, while Virginia, ranked No. 5 in the nation by Baseball America, improved to 11-0.
Tommy Molsky made the start for the Nittany Lions, going three innings plus two batters in the fourth. He allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits. Molsky struck out four batters and walked one.
Tyler Shingledecker relieved Molsky in the fourth inning. The senior threw two scoreless innings, giving up two hits. Steven Miller took over in the sixth, pitching 1.2 innings. He gave up one run on two hits and struck out one.
Jordan Morales entered with two outs in the seventh, going two-thirds of an innings. He gave up five runs (two earned) on four hits. Blaise Sclafani took the mound in the eighth, throwing one-third of an inning, giving up one unearned run. Tanner Folds finished the eighth, forcing a groundout.
Brandon Neeck started on the mound for Virginia, throwing five innings. He allowed one run on four hits while striking out six and walking two. Jay Woolfolk threw 1.2 innings in relief, giving up one hit and one walk, while striking out two. Jake Berry entered the game with two outs in the seventh, going 1.1 scoreless innings. Will Geerdes closed out the game, pitching the ninth.
Hannon again led the Penn State offense with two hits, including a double. For the series, Hannon went seven-for-eight at the plate with three doubles. He also reached base on a walk and two hit by pitches.
Bartels contributed two hits, including a double, and Tayven Kelley drove in a run with an RBI single. Billy Gerlott singled and scored a run.
Griff O'Ferrall paced the UVA offense, going four-for-four with two RBI and three runs. Jake Gelof hit two homers to drive in five runs, while Ethan Anderson had three hits, including a two-run homer, and scored three runs.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. O'Ferrall draw a leadoff walk. After a pair of strikeouts, Gelof hit a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left for a two-run homer.
Penn State threatened to score in the second. Hannon roped a leadoff double to the gap in right-center. Hannon stole third during the next at-bat. A grounder by Anthony Steele was fielded by the third baseman, who threw home to force Hannon into a run-down where he was tagged out. Josh Spiegel then drew a walk to put runners on first and second, but a lineout ended the frame.
Virginia extended its lead with two runs in the second. With runners on first and second, an error on a pickoff attempt allowed runners to move up to second and third. A single by O'Ferrall to right field drove in Colin Tuft. Kyle Teel followed with a sac fly to left to score Anderson. Virginia led 4-0 after two.
The Nittany Lions got a run across in the fourth. Gerlott hit a line drive to center for a leadoff single. Hannon was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Kelley sent a ground ball past the shortstop to allow Gerlott to come home. Penn State cut its deficit to 4-1.
Virginia added two runs in the sixth on a homer to left by Anderson to push its lead to 6-1. The Cavaliers got another run in the seventh on an RBI single to center by Devin Ortiz to plate O'Ferrall. Virginia led 7-1 after seven.
UVA tallied six runs in the eighth, including three on a homer to left by Gelof.
Penn State visits VMI for a mid-week contest on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium.
The Nittany Lions return to Cary, N.C. next weekend for a three-game series vs. UMass. Friday's contest begins at 2 p.m. Saturday's first pitch is at 1 p.m. and Sunday's game starts at 11 a.m.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Kyle Hannon