April 15, 2016
| 4 | 2 |
| Miller Park | Evanston, Ill. | 261 | |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
VIDEO: Postgame Comments
EVANSTON, Ill. – Freshman Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.) hit a two-run home run and Evanston-native Jack Anderson pitched the final three innings to earn the win as Penn State defeated Northwestern, 4-2, in Big Ten baseball action Friday afternoon at Miller Park.
Burger's first career home run gave Penn State (20-14, 6-4 Big Ten) a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but Northwestern (9-25, 2-8 Big Ten) tied the game at 2-2 with unearned runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Third baseman Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.) drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Anderson (4-1) kept the Wildcats off the board in the eighth and ninth innings, yielding just a walk while striking out three.
It was Anderson's 88th career appearance to extend his Penn State record, but his first in his hometown, where he attended Evanston Township High School. With his fourth win of the season, he matched his career high from each of the previous two seasons.
Burger factored in three of Penn State's four runs, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs from his two-run shot. He also singled in the ninth inning and was replaced on the base paths by James Coates (Girard, Ohio). Coates swiped second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a base hit by centerfielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) Left fielder Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) also went 3-for-4 and first baseman Tyler Kendall (Boynton Beach, Fla.) went 2-for-4.
Kendall led the second inning off with a single and Burger followed with his two-run shot to right field for a 2-0 lead.
An error allowed Northwestern's first run to score in the bottom of the fifth inning. Catcher Mat Jones reached on a throwing miscue to lead-off the inning and advanced to second on the play. He advanced to third on a groundout before coming home on a single by Hopfner. RHP Dakota Forsyth (Bethel Park, Pa.) relieved LHP Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and struck out the first two batters faced to maintain the lead.
Lehman allowed just the unearned run in 4 1/3 innings of work on four hits and three walks with one strikeout.
Forsyth worked an inning and 2/3 without a hit but ran into trouble to start the seventh though, walking the first two batters he faced. The Lions turned to Anderson hoping for a three-out save, but a throwing error by catcher Nick Graham (Chambersburg, Pa.) on a double steal attempt allowed the first runner to score and tie the game.
Graham had an opportunity to atone for the error by leading off the eighth, and he did by doubling to the right gap. A sacrifice bunt by left fielder Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) moved him to third, and a sacrifice fly by Haley scored him for a 3-2 lead.
LHP Reed Mason (2-4) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
The Nittany Lions outhit the Wildcats, 10-4.
Penn State and Northwestern will continue the three-game series Saturday at 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET.
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.