March 5, 2017
| 11 | 2 |
| Klein Family Field | Stockton, Calif. | 312 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Video: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
STOCKTON, Calif. ââ'¬" A dominant outing by RHP Justin Hagenman (Voorhees, N.J.) and a career-best four-hit game by Jordan Bowersox (Winter Spring, Fla.) led Penn State to a series-clinching win over Pacific, 11-2, in non-conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Klein Family Field.
The Nittany Lions are now 4-5 for their best start since 2011.
Hagenman (1-1) enjoyed the longest outing by a Penn State pitcher this season, going seven innings and allowing just two runs on six hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Bowersox went 4-for-5 with a double, three runs and two RBIs to lead the Nittany Lion offense. Second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) extended his hitting streak to eight with a two-hit game that included a two-run home run, and centerfielder Mason Nadeau (Lansdale, Pa.) continued his hot hitting with a 2-for-4 effort that included three runs and stolen base.
Pacific (4-5) RHP Will Lydon (2-1) had not allowed an earned run in his first two starts this season, but was touched for eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Second baseman Nick Iwasa tallied the Tigers' lone RBI and extra base hit with an RBI double in the second inning.
For a second consecutive game, Penn State took command early with a first inning score. Bowersox led the game off by beating the throw on a grounder hit in the hole at short. He later advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI-double by Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.). The Lions then added four runs in the second, as first baseman Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.) led the frame off with a single and later scored from third with the bases loaded on a wild pitch. Third baseman Logan Goodnight (Wheeling, W.Va.) then cleared them with a double to the left gap and he later scored on a dropped fly ball for a 5-0 lead.
Iwasa got the Tigers on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, but Penn State continued to add to its lead in the fourth. Nadeau led off with a single up the middle and he was sacrificed to second, allowing him to score on a base hit by Bowersox. Bowersox advanced to second on the throw and third on a base hit by Hughes, allowing him to catch the Tigers napping on a strikeout in the dirt, as he took home on the throw to first for 7-1 lead.
Pacific made it 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth when a run scored on a double play, but it would be its final run of the game. The Lions added a run in the sixth on an RBI-double by Bowersox that scored Nadeau and another in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Joe Weisenseel (Strongsville, Ohio). With Bowersox on-base after beating out another infield single, Hughes lifted his second home run of the season and career over the left field wall for the final margin.
RHP Eric Mock (Shillington, Pa.) pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two,
Penn State will look for the series sweep Monday at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET.