March 26, 2016
| 1 | 6 |
| Illinois Field | Champaign, Ill. | Attn: 552 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ââ'¬" LHP Doug Hayes (3-2) limited Penn State to one hit to lead Illinois to a 6-1 victory in the first game of a Big Ten baseball doubleheader Saturday in Illinois Field. The teams will conclude the series starting at 4 p.m. live on BTN.
For Penn State (9-12, 0-2 Big Ten) RHP Sal Biasi (2-3) (Hazleton, Pa.) cruised through the first two innings before a walk, stolen base and pair of errors resulted in a Illinois (10-10, 2-0 Big Ten) run in the third.
Third baseman Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.) atoned for his third-inning error with a leadoff triple in the top of the fourth, and he scored on a groundout by designated hitter Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) to knot the game back up.
The tie was short-lived though as catcher Jason Goldstein, a 17th round MLB draft pick this past summer, led the bottom of the fourth off with a home run to left field. Later in the inning, designated hitter Anthony Drago bounced a three-run home run off the top of the wall in left center for a 5-1 lead.
Illinois added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth for the final margin.
The Nittany Lions were unable to get back into the game as Hayes went the distance, yielding just a hit and walk while striking out three, facing only one more than the minimum. Offensively, second baseman Pat McInerey went a team-best 3-for-4 with a run scored. Goldstein and Drago both posted two-hit games.
Biasi matched his career high of six innings pitched, finishing with a line of seven hits, five runs, three earned runs, a walk and six strikeouts.
Following the day's second game, Penn State will return to Happy Valley to play its next six games and 10 of its next 11 at home in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The homestand will begin Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against Youngstown State.
Purchase Penn State baseball tickets by visiting GoPSUsports.com or calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711. For more information on Penn State baseball tickets please call 814-272-1711 or email Stephen Christ schrist@statecollegespikes.com.