Feb. 18, 2017
| 3 | 6 |
| Lupton Field | Fort Worth, Texas | 5,812 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| VIDEO: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
FORT WORTH, Texas -- A three-run seventh inning was not enough for Penn State, as No. 1 TCU held on to a 6-3 advantage to defeat the Nittany Lions in the 2017 baseball opener for both teams Friday night in Lupton Stadium.
Six Penn State (0-1) pitchers combined to hold TCU (1-0) to just two hits and RHP Sal Biasi (0-1) (Hazle Township, Pa.) struck out seven, but the Nittany Lions issued eight free passes on six walks, a wild pitch on a strikeout and a hit batsman, and allowed two unearned runs on an error and passed ball, respectively.
First baseman Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.), right fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) and second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) drove in Penn State's three runs with an RBI each in the seventh. Bowersox, third baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.) and catcher Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) had Penn State's three hits with one each.
Second baseman Cam Warner and first baseman Connor Wanhanen had two RBIs each to pace TCU's offense. Wanhanen and centerfielder Nolan Brown had a single and double, respectively, for the Horned Frogs' lone hits. Designated hitter Luken Baker walked twice and scored both times.
RHP Jared Janczak (1-0) cruised through the first six innings for TCU, striking out six and only yielding a double to Klemann in the fourth before running into trouble in the seventh. He plunked Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) and walked Klemann to start the inning off, and then Sloniger singled to load the bases. RHP Sean Wymer relieved Janczak but the Nittany Lions were able to get the first run across on an infield RBI by Burger, as Wanhanen was unable to complete the throw to second base after making a diving stop to keep the ball in the infield.
Wymer earned a strikeout with the bases loaded for the first out of the inning, but Bowersox singled to left to score Klemann and then Hughes hit into a fielder's choice to bring home Burger. However, Wymer was able to get out of the jam after loading the bases again, and he then retired the side in the eighth. RHP Durbin Feltman (1) was perfect in the ninth to earn the save.
TCU scored two runs each in the second, fourth and sixth innings. Biasi allowed a one-out walk to left fielder Josh Watson in the second and he scored on an error on the throw in on Brown's double for the game's first run. Brown advanced to third and scored unearned on a groundout for a 2-0 lead.
Biasi struck out the side in the third but a wild pitch on a strikeout and two walks loaded the bases for TCU with one out, and Warner hit into a fielder's choice at second to score one. After issuing another walk, Biasi was relieved by RHP Dakota Forsyth (Bethel Park, Pa.), but a passed ball allowed another run to score for a 4-0 margin.
Forsyth pitched into the sixth inning, getting the first two outs, but the Lions struggled to get the final out and Wanhanen singled to center with the bases loaded to drive in two more runs for a 6-0 advantage.
Penn State was only able to halve the lead late.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.