April 25, 2015
| 2 | 4 |
| 15 INN | Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa. | Attn: 1458 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| VIDEO: Postgame Comments | Riotto Diving Catch |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - An RBI-single from Taylor Skerpon (Sayre, Pa.) in the bottom of the ninth forced extra innings, but No. 8 Illinois prevailed in the 15th, 4-2, in Big Ten baseball action Saturday afternoon in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The winning run for Illinois (35-6-1, 12-1 B1G) scored on an infield-single to Skerpon at second base hit by right fielder Casey Fletcher in a full count with two outs and the bases loaded. Skerpon's only play was to second, but his flip to shortstop Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.) was not in time to get catcher Jason Goldstein on the force out. A passed ball during the next at-bat allowed an insurance run to score.
The win extends Illinois' nation-best winning streak to 16 games.
Just four of the 15 innings featured scoring, as pitching ruled the day.
For Penn State (13-25, 2-11 B1G), LHP Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) held Illinois scoreless through a career high-equaling seven innings, and was relieved following a leadoff single to first baseman David Kerian in the eighth. Kerian eventually scored for Lehman's lone run allowed, as he surrendered just six hits with no walks and three strikeouts for the day.
Illinois' starter RHP Drasen Johnson limited Penn State to just an unearned run in the first inning - an RBI-single by Haley - yielding just two of five hits allowed after the first inning. He also walked one while striking out four.
It was RHP Jack Anderson (Evanston, Ill.) who took the mound for Lehman, and he walked the first batter he faced, centerfielder Will Krug. A groundout moved Kerian and Krug into scoring position, and shortstop Adam Walton drove both of them in with a single to the left gap for a 2-1 lead in the eighth. Anderson settled in though and pitched a season-high five innings into the 12th, leaving after allowing just the one run on four hits and four walks with one strikeout.
For the Illini, LHP Tyler Jay took over in the eighth and pitched six innings, allowing the game-tying run in the ninth, as well as six hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Haley led the ninth off with a single up the middle, and following a sacrifice, scored from second on Skerpon's single to center to force extras.
RHP Nick Blackburn (2-0) pitched the 14th and 15th innings, retiring all six Lion batters he faced, striking out half of them. For Penn State, RHP Jared Fagnano (0-2) retired the first six batters he faced in the 13th and 14th innings, but ran into trouble in the 15th to suffer the loss.
The game was the longest PSU has played this season in terms of both innings (15) and time (4 hours, 12 minutes).
Haley led Penn State offensively, going 3-for-6 with an RBI and run scored. Left fielder Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) extended his hitting streak to 11 games, going 2-for-7 with the first-inning run scored. He singled and moved into scoring position by stealing second and advancing to third when the throw down sailed into centerfield. First baseman Tyler Kendall (Boynton Beach, Fla.) went 2-for-5 with a walk.
For Illinois, Fletcher went 3-for-6 with a walk and the game-winning RBI, while designated hitter Pat McInerney went 3-for-7. Walton (two RBI) and left fielder Ryan Nagle (run) both went 2-for-7.
Illinois out-hit Penn State 13-11 and stranded 11 base runners, while PSU left 10 on board.
Penn State and Illinois will conclude the series Sunday starting at 10 a.m. live on BTN. PSU's RHP Nick Distasio (Oley, Pa,) (1-5, 5.29 ERA) and Illinois' RHP John Kravetz (3-0, 2.91 ERA) are slated to start on the mound.