March 18, 2017
| 1 | 6 |
| 0 | 5 |
| Bob Hannah Stadium | Newark, Del. | 250 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| G1: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) G2: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Video: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
NEWARK, Del. ââ'¬" Penn State received strong starting pitching from RHP Sal Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) and RHP Justin Hagenman (Voorhees, N.J.), but Delaware spoiled their efforts, taking both ends of a baseball doubleheader by scores of 6-1 and 5-0.
Biasi (2-2) and Hagenman (1-3) both set career highs for strikeouts with 11 and 10, respectively, and neither allowed an earned run, but Delaware (10-7) also benefitted from strong starting pitching and was able to add insurance runs late in both games after taking early leads.
Penn State fell to 6-10 on the season.
Game 1
For a second consecutive outing, Biasi set a new career-high for strikeouts, totaling 11, and he yielded one unearned run on three hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out the side in the first and fourth innings.
However, Delaware LHP Brandon Walter (2-3) was dominant over eight innings, only yielding one hit and one walk while striking out 17. He held the Nittany Lions without a hit until second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) singled up the middle in the seventh. He had faced the minimum until that inning, only yielding a walk to centerfielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) in the fourth.
The Nittany Lions scored their lone run off RHP Ron Marinaccio in the ninth, tallying three hits and a walk. Right fielder Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) drove in the run with the bases loaded. Shortstop Joe Weisenseel and Hughes both tallied base hits, while catcher Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.) walked.
Hughes led Penn State at the plate for the game, going 2-for-4.
Biasi opened the game with four consecutive strikeouts, but a walk, single and passed ball gave Delaware two runners in scoring position with one out, and an RBI-ground out by third baseman Diaz Nardo drove in a run.
The Blue Hens added to their 1-0 lead with five runs in the seventh. Centerfielder Kevin Molhollen doubled down the left field line to drive in the first run of the frame, left fielder Jordan Glover singled to right field with the bases loaded for another run, designated hitter Doug Trimble doubled to score two more, and then first baseman Nick Patten added a sacrifice fly before the final out.
Game 2
Hagenman allowed two unearned runs over six innings on five hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts, but RHP Nick Spadafino (2-0) and RHP Matt Hornich (1) limited the Nittany Lions to three hits for the game.
Trimble reached in the second on an error and scored on an infield single by Patten, and then a dropped fly ball in the fifth resulted in another run in the fifth.
Nardo doubled in the seventh and scored on back-to-back sacrifice bunts by shortstop James Meeker and Molhollen for a 3-0 lead, and then Trimble hit a two-run home run in the eighth for the final margin.
Penn State's best chance to score came in the fourth inning when left fielder Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) and Burger hit back-to-back singles to give the Lions runners on the corners with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning.
Spadafino earned five strikeouts over six innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. Hornich struckout one and allowed one hit over the final three innings.
Hagenman struck out five in a row over the third, fourth and fifth innings, with all three in the fourth going down looking. All of his outs in the sixth came via strikeouts.
Next Up
Penn State and Delaware will conclude the series Sunday starting at 1 p.m.