March 25, 2017
| 2 | 4 |
| 10 | 6 |
| Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa. | 1110 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Game 1: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Game 2: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Video: Coach Cooper | Players |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Unearned runs cost Penn State in the day's first game, as Columbia won 4-2, but a strong outing from RHP Dakota Forsyth (Bethel Park, Pa.) and a balanced offensive attack in the second game, led the Nittany Lions to a 10-6 victory over the Lions to conclude a baseball doubleheader Saturday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Penn State (9-12) scored two runs in the fourth inning of the first game, but Columbia (2-12) answered with three runs after a two-out error in the fifth and added an insurance run in the eighth to seal the victory. It spoiled a strong outing by Nittany Lion RHP Justin Hagenman (Voorhees, N.J.), who struck out nine without allowing a walk over 7 1/3 innings, yielding four runs (one earned) on eight hits.
The Nittany Lion bats came to life in the second game though, rallying from a 5-1 deficit following the top of the third to score nine runs over the next three frames. All nine starting batters reached base, while Forsyth (3-0) struck out a career-high eight in four innings of relief, yielding just a walk.
Columbia was paced for the day by right fielder Julian Bury and first baseman Liam McGill as both led all batters with a combined five hits in the two games.
Game 2
At the plate, sophomore second baseman Conlin Hughes led the Nittany Lions with a 3-for-4 performance that included a walk, RBI and run, and first baseman Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.) and centerfielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) both had two-hit, two-RBI games.
Columbia outhit Penn State 12-11, but the Lions yielded seven walks and hit two batters while the Nittany Lions allowed just three walks.
Columbia took a 5-1 lead after scoring two in the top of the second and adding three in the third, highlighted by a two-RBI double by centerfielder Shane Adams, but Penn State batted around in the bottom half, scoring four runs to tie the game up.
Catcher Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) ignited the Nittany Lion offense in the third with a leadoff triple to right, as he took advantage of high winds that contributed to the right fielder misplaying the sharp liner. Sloniger then scored on a hot shot to third by shortstop Joe Weisenseel (Strongsville, Ohio), and a Hughes single and hit by pitch for left fielder Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) loaded the bases for Burger, who drove in one more with a fielder's choice for the first out. Bowersox walked to reload the bases, and then designated hitter Keith Leavitt (Manchester, Mass.) and third baseman Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.) drew back-to-back walks to score two more runs and tie the game at 5-5.
Forsyth took over in the third and kept Columbia in check as the Nittany Lions added five more runs over the next two innings. Penn State needed just one hit in the fourth to score three more runs, as an error and three walks aided the offensive effort. Hughes walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on the error, while Burger and Leavitt tallied an RBI each with a single and fielder's choice, respectively.
Hughes and Riotto both drove in runs in the fifth after Sloniger and Weisenseel led the frame off with base hits.
Columbia would add a run in the ninth for the final margin as the only blemish against RHP Jake Pilewicz (Sewickley, Pa.), who earned his first career save by pitching the final three innings. LHP Ben Wereski (0-1) suffered the loss, getting an out each in the third and fourth innings.
Game 1
The first game of the day started off eerily similar to the Friday game, as Penn State scored the game's first two runs in the fourth, while Columbia answered with three in the top of the fifth, just as had happened the previous night. However, this time Penn State was unable to score again.
Penn State went ahead with one out in the fourth. Burger doubled to the deepest part of the park, rocketing a deep fly that landed right in the 410-foot deep "Nook" in left center. He then scored when left fielder Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) followed with a triple to right field, and Giavedoni then scored on a sacrifice fly from Riotto.
However, Columbia took advantage of a two-out error in the fifth for three runs. The error gave the Lions runners on the corners, and shortstop Joe Engle followed with a triple to clear the bases and tie the game. Bury followed with a single through the right side to drive in Engle.
LHP Josh Simpson (1-0) settled in and pitched seven innings for the win, allowing the two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. RHP Ian Burns (1) earned the save allowing just one hit and the only walk allowed by either team in the game over the final two innings.
Next Up
Penn State and Columbia will conclude the series Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
Season, flex and single-game ticket options for the 2017 Penn State baseball season in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are now on sale by clicking here or by calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711. Ask about the hospitality suite option for season ticket holders.
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