Feb. 25, 2017
| 4 | 10 |
| 5 | 7 |
| Coleman Field - USA Baseball NTC | Cary, N.C. | 152 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Game 1: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Game 2: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
CARY, N.C. ââ'¬" Penn State posted double-digit hits in both games, led by 5-for-8 days by both Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) and Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.), but it was not enough as Xavier earned a 10-4 victory in Game 1 and a 7-5 victory in Game 2, Saturday on Coleman Field at the USA Baseball National Training Center.
Bowersox doubled in both games and scored a run in the second, while Giavedoni tallied two RBIs with one coming in the first game and the other in the second game when he hit his first career home run. Second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) led Penn State (1-5) with three RBIs on the day, hitting his first career home run in the first game with one on and then going 3-for-5 with an RBI double in the night cap.
However, Xavier (4-3) was paced by third baseman Rylan Bannon, who went 6-for-8 with six RBIs, two walks, four runs, a home run, triple and two doubles over both games. The Musketeers also had a strong pitching effort from RHP Garrett Schilling (1-0) in the first game, as he allowed just an unearned run and three hits while striking out four.
Game 1
An RBI-double by right fielder Joe Gellenbeck gave Xavier a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the score remained the same until the fifth inning when the Musketeers added four runs in the top of the fifth. With a runner who reached on an error on third and one out, Xavier drew three straight walks to bring in the first run of the frame. After the unearned run, second baseman Connor Grammes singled up the middle to drive in two earned runs, and a wild pitch brought in another unearned run for a 5-0 Xavier lead.
Penn State took advantage of an error to get a runner on third and shortstop Joe Weisenseel (Strongsville, Ohio) hit a sacrifice fly for the Lions' first run, but a two-RBI triple by Bannon in the sixth gave Xavier a 7-1 lead. Both teams traded runs in the seventh inning and two-run home runs by Bannon and Hughes, respectively, in the top and bottom of the eighth.
After six strong innings from Schilling, Sam Czabala (1) pitched the final three for the save.
Game 2
After a scoreless first inning, Giavedoni led the bottom of the second off with a solo shot over the left field wall.
Xavier responded with a four-run inning with all base runners coming with two outs, highlighted by a two-RBI triple Gellenbeck, but Penn State answered with four runs of its own though to retake a one-run lead. Bowersox and Hughes led off with back-to-back doubles, and Burger, Helsel and Nadeau added RBI singles.
It would be the last runs Penn State would score though. Bannon tied the game in the fifth with an RBI-double, and Mitch Gallagher drove in two with a base hit in the sixth for the game-winning runs.
RHP Matt Kent (1-0) earned the win in relief, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings and scattering six hits and a walk.
Penn State and Xavier will conclude the four-game series starting at 11 a.m. Sunday.