UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team put on an offensive display to complete a 7-6 comeback win over Bucknell on Wednesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. After trailing 5-0 after the top of the first inning, the Nittany Lions outscored the Bison 7-1 the rest of the game, collecting 16 total hits.
Penn State improved to 11-15 on the season with the win and Bucknell fell to 12-15.
Making his first start on the season, freshman Anthony Steele pitched 0.2 innings with a strikeout. He let up five runs off of two hits and two walks. He was replaced by Blaise Sclafani who gave up three walks without an out.
Carson Kohls replaced Sclafani and went a career-high 3.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, giving up only three hits. Ryan Partridge and Mason Mellott combined to pitch in the fifth, combining to give up a run off of two hits and three walks. Jordan Morales made an appearance in the sixth and the seventh innings, collecting four strikeouts in two perfect frames. Chase Renner picked up the last six outs for the Nittany Lions in scoreless fashion, striking out four, including the side in the ninth inning.
Sophomore right hander Bryce Reimer made his first start of season for Bucknell, pitching three innings with a strikeout. He gave up six runs off nine hits and a walk. In relief, the Bucknell bullpen had six relievers combine to give up only one run and seven hits,with four strikeouts.
Penn State bats combined to score seven runs and tally a season-high 16 hits and two walks, led by Matt Wood and Jay Harry. The duo each had three hits with Wood driving in two runs and Harry recording one RBI. Josh Spiegel added two doubles and an RBI, while scoring two runs. C.J. Pittaro and Derek Cease each finished with two hits. Pittaro had two RBI and Cease scored two runs.
Chris Cannizzaro and Tyler Dunn led the Bisons with two hits each, as Bucknell scored six runs off seven hits and nine walks. Jacob Corson tacked on a two-run single.
Bucknell struck first, plating five runs in the first, aided by five walks. With the bases loaded, Corson drove a single to left to score two runs. Two batters later, an RBI single by Dunn to right allowed a run to come home. Three consecutive walks followed with Corson and Dunn both scoring.
The Nittany Lions chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Back-to-back singles by Wood and Harry setup Spiegel, who lined a double down the line in left to score Wood. Billy Gerlott then grounded to the shortstop for an RBI as Harry crossed the plate. A single through the hole in the left side of the infield by Pittaro scored Spiegel. Penn State trailed 5-3 after one.
Penn State tied the game in the second inning. With one out, Cease reached on an infield single. He then moved up to second on a wild pitch. After a walk drawn by Cole Bartels, a balk moved the runners up to second and third. Wood flared a single out to left field to clear the bases and even the game at 5-5.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the third. Spiegel led off the inning with a line drive off the wall in left for a double. Two batters later, Pittaro singled to center to plate Spiegel. Penn State held a 6-5 advantage after three innings.
Penn State added a run in the fourth. Cease again sparked the inning with an infield single. He then stole second. After Bartels was hit by a pitch, a flyout moved Cease up to third. Harry followed with a single to right to drive home Cease. Penn State led 7-5 through four.
Bucknell cut its deficit in half in the top of the sixth. Anthony Sherwin started the inning with a triple to the corner in right. Cannizzaro then doubled to right to score Sherwin. However, Penn State's Morales shut down the threat, retiring three straight batters including two on strikeouts.
The Nittany Lions travel to Northwestern for a three-game series this weekend, April 8-10. Friday's contest is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. Saturday's game is slated for 3 p.m., while Sunday's first pitch is set for 2 p.m. All games will be livestreamed on B1G+.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
CJ Pittaro