March 14, 2009
BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Penn State baseball team fell to Rutgers 6-5 in 10 innings in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla.
Bobby Jacobs led the Nittany Lions with two hits and two runs. Penn State (7-7) failed to tally at least 10 hits for the first time in its spring break trip to Florida.
Rutgers scored the winning run in the top of the 10th inning when Andrew Palen walked the first two batters. The Scarlet Knights' Brandon Boykin touched the plate on a sacrifice fly to leftfield.
Drew Palen (0-1) took the loss for the Nittany Lions, giving up one earned run. Mike Pierce got out of the 10th inning by retiring three of the four batters faced. Rutgers' Willie Beard notched the win, pitching four innings while allowing one run and three hits.
Scott Kelley struck out four batters and let up five earned runs for a no-decision in five innings pitched. Ryan Ignas tossed a brilliant outing of relief. Rutgers failed to score against Ignas in four innings while accumulating three hits.
The Scarlet Knights held a 13-8 edge over the Nittany Lions in hits.
Wes Borden reached base in all four at-bats. Borden went 1-for-1 and walked four times. The senior uliltyman had a team-high two RBIs and five putouts.
Notes: Grant Youngblood continued his hitting streak to 14 games with a pinch hit in today's first game. The streak, which goes back to last season's Big Ten Tournament, is the fourth longest two-year streak. Youngblood did not make a plate appearance in the nightcap.