March 4, 2018
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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- UC Santa Barbara pitchers Noah Davis and Chris Clements combined to throw a one-hitter, defeating Penn State, 4-0, in non-conference baseball action Sunday afternoon in Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Catcher Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) singled in the first inning for what would prove to be Penn State's (3-5) only hit. Davis (1-1), named the No. 53 college prospect for the 2018 draft by D1Baseball.com prior to the season, yielded just one hit and two walks while striking out nine in six innings of work. RHP Chris Clements (1) followed and yielded just one walk for a three-inning save.
The hit extended Sloniger's hitting streak to eight games.
Penn State matched UCSB (4-6) on the mound early. LHP Taylor Lehman (1-1) (Pittsburgh, Pa.) faced the minimum through the first three innings, but UCSB drove in runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-0 lead. In the fourth, a one-out walk turned into a run, as catcher Eric Yang followed with a double to left, for just the second hit Lehman allowed to that point. In the fifth, the Gauchos added two on a double by designated hitter Clay Fisher. A pair of base hits with one out and a passed ball gave UCSB two in scoring position, and then after a strikeout, Fisher doubled to the right gap to score both.
Lehman finished with a line of five innings pitched, three runs, five hits, one walk and four strikeouts.
RHP Mason Mellott (State College, Pa.) took over on the mound for Penn State in the sixth, but UCSB added one more run on a double steal. RHP Connor Larkin (Royersford, Pa.) pitched the final two innings, striking out two and yielding just one hit.
Penn State and UC Santa Barbara conclude the series Monday, with both starting games at 5 p.m.
Penn State's home opener is set for Wednesday, March 14. Season, flex and single-game tickets for the 2018 season, presented by Family Clothesline, are available online at GoPSUsports.com or by calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711.
Notes: Mac Hippenhammer made his first collegiate start, batting ninth and playing centerfield. Hippenhammer is the fourth freshman to start as a positon player for Penn State this season ... Penn State has had a freshman pitcher pitch in its last four consecutive games.