May 20, 2017
| 3 | 21 |
| Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa. | 1306 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Video: Senior Day Ceremony | Photo Gallery |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- No. 22 Nebraska used strong pitching and an early lead to secure the 2017 Big Ten baseball regular season championship and defeat Penn State, 21-3, Saturday afternoon in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The game concluded Penn State's (18-37, 4-20 Big Ten) 2017 season. Seniors Dakota Forsyth (Bethel Park, Pa.), Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.), Alex Malinsky (Apex, N.C.), Tom Mullin (Springfield, Pa.), Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) and Tim Scholly (State College, Pa.) were honored after the game. All six saw action with Helsel (third base), Malinsky (catcher) and Riotto (left field) starting and Forsyth, Mullin and Scholly taking the mound in relief.
Malinsky's hit was the only one the Nittany Lions managed until the eighth inning, as Nebraska (34-18-1, 16-7-1) starting LHP Jake Meyers (8-1) struck out seven and allowed just the one hit in the third inning in six innings of work.
Nebraska was dominant at the plate, as first baseman Ben Miller went 4-for-6 with a double, three RBIs, three runs and a walk, left fielder Mojo Hagge went 4-for-6 with a double, three RBIs and two runs. Additionally, shortstop Angelo Altavilla went 2-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs, while second baseman Jake Schleppenbach drove in four runs on a grand slam to cap a 3-for-4 day at the plate.
First baseman Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.) paced the Nittany Lions at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Cornhuskers scored 10 runs in the first two innings with seven coming in the first. The first run scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and then Miller drove in two on a ground rule double for a 3-0 lead. After two more runs scored, Alvarado continued his hot hitting with a double with the bases loaded again for a 7-0 lead.
The Huskers then led the second off with three straight singles to load the bases, and a hit batsman brought in a run. A run scored on a double play and Hagge drove in the final run of the frame with a base hit.
Nebraska added two runs in the fifth, five more in the sixth and Scheleppenbach's grand slam came in the eighth.
The Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth for the final margin. Shortstop Logan Goodnight (Wheeling, W.Va.) led the frame off with a walk and second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) doubled with one out to put two in scoring position for right fielder Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) Giavedoni delivered with a single in the hole at short to score Goodnight, and then Hughes scored on a ball bobbled at short off the bat from Riotto. Burger singled up the middle for the final run.
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