May 3, 2014
9 Nebraska (31-17, 12-5 B1G) | Lincoln, Neb. • Haymarket Park • Attendance: 6,082 | 2 Penn State (17-25, 5-11 B1G) |
LINCOLN, Neb.; May 3, 2014 - The Penn State Nittany Lions (17-25, 5-11 Big Ten) were unable to overcome an early seven-run deficit on Sunday, as Nebraska (31-17, 12-5 Big Ten) won the second game of the series by a final of 9-2. The Cornhuskers plated three runs in the first and third frames and added one in the second to total their seven runs.
Steve Snyder (West Chester, Pa.) accounted for half of the Blue and White's hits on the afternoon, going 3-for-4 with a double and two singles, while also adding an RBI off a bases loaded walk. The multi-hit game is Snyder's 14th of the season and 61st of his career.
Nebraska wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in Saturday's affair. The Cornhuskers plated three runs in the top of the first off a sacrifice fly and a two-run home run from Austin Darby to take an early 3-0 lead.
The hosts added to their lead by scoring a run in the second and then pushed across three more runs in the third to take a commanding 7-0 lead. The Huskers did all of its damage in their three-run third inning with two outs, recording a double, three singles and a walk to extend their lead to 7-0.
Penn State got a run back in the top of the fourth frame to make the score 7-1. After recording two quick outs to start the inning, the Nittany Lions received a hit by pitch followed by three consecutive walks to plate their first run of the afternoon. Snyder was responsible for the RBI, as his walk allowed Aaron Novak (Ambler, Pa.) to score from third.
T.J. Jann (Westford, Mass.), the Nittany Lions' starting pitcher, settled into the game and found his rhythm after a rough start to the game. The junior retired seven-straight batters from the third through the fifth inning. After getting two outs in the sixth, Jann's day came to an end, as Dakota Forsyth (Bethel Park, Pa.) came in on relief.
After keeping the Nebraska offense at bay from the for three innings, the Huskers' Pat Kelly hit a leadoff home run to start the seventh and increase their lead back to seven runs at 8-1. The Cornhuskers then added another in the eighth off an RBI single from Ryan Boldt to make the score 9-1.
Penn State managed to score its second run of the afternoon in the top of the ninth. The Nittany Lions used two hits to put runners on the corners with one out. Taylor Skerpon (Sayre, Pa.) then came in to score from third off a passed ball to make the score 9-2. The next two Penn State batters struck out to end the game with at 9-2.
The Blue and White and the Cornhuskers will wrap up the series tomorrow with the third and final game of the weekend. First pitch at Haymarket Park is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. ET.