Feb. 18, 2018
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ELON, N.C. ââ'¬" Penn State sophomore Eric Mock (Shillington, Pa.) held Elon scoreless over the final three innings, striking out four and not yielding a hit, to preserve a 3-2 win for the Nittany Lions and secure a series sweep in college baseball's opening weekend.
The 3-0 start for Penn State is its best since starting the 1980 season 8-0.
Four Penn State pitchers combined to hold Elon (0-3) to three hits. The game was scoreless through the first four innings, and then all of the scoring took place in the fifth.
Freshman shortstop Tommy Gibson (Williamstown, N.J.) scored the first run after doubling off the left-center field wall for his first career hit and then coming all the way around on a Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) double off third baseman Cam Devanney's glove. Then with two outs, Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) had a deep fly carry over the left field wall for a two-run home run and 3-0 advantage.
LHP Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.), making his collegiate debut after redshirting due to injury as a true freshman last season, carried no-hitter into the bottom of the fifth, but after getting the first out of the frame, he issued a walk and then allowed a two-run home run to Devanney. After surrendering a single to the next batter, he was lifted for RHP Nick Distasio (1-0) (Oley, Pa.), who retired the final two batters of the inning and the next two in the sixth.
Biasi's final line included 4 1/3 innings pitched, two runs on two hits and two walks, and three strikeouts.
Elon threatened to tie in the seventh, as catcher Hayden Platt led the frame off with a base hit and pinch runner Tyler Stanley stole second. Mock took the mound and Elon sacrificed Stanley to third, but Mock struck out the next two batters to strand him there.
Mock struck out two more over the final two innings, only yielding a walk in the ninth, to pick up his second save of the weekend.
Elon starter LHP Owen Lorenz (0-1) struck out eight and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk in six innings, and RHP Ryan Conroy allowed just a hit and walk over the final three innings while striking out two.
Penn State will next host UMBC (Friday), Monmouth (Saturday) and St. John's (Sunday) at the USA Baseball National Training Center in Cary, N.C.
Penn State's home opener is set for Wednesday, March 14. Season, flex and single-game tickets are available online at GoPSUsports.com or by calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711.
Notes: In addition to Biasi, freshmen Derek Orndorff (1B) and Tommy Gibson (SS) made their first career starts … Penn State last won three-straight games in the month of February in 2004.