April 18, 2018
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| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A six-run second inning and a pitching staff that did not allow an earned run powered Penn State past Mount St. Mary's, 7-2, in non-conference baseball action Wednesday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Three from Penn State (8-22) enjoyed multi-hit games, led by third baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.) with a 3-for-5 effort that included an RBI-triple and a run. Additionally, left fielder Parker Hendershot (Barton, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with a double, RBI, run and walk, shortstop Joe Weisenseel (Strongsville, Ohio) went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, and designated hitter Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) drove in a pair with a single.
RHP Bailey Dees (Charlotte, N.C.) (1-0) started on a pre-planned staff day recorded a career high five strikeouts in three innings of work, allowing the two unearned runs on three hits and two walks to earn the win. Four relievers followed to keep Mount St. Mary's (10-22) scoreless over the final six innings. LHP Marko Boricich (Chicago, Ill.) and RHP Kyle Virbitsky (Media, Pa.) worked two scoreless frames each, while RHP Conor Larkin (Royersford, Pa.) and RHP Mason Mellott (State College, Pa.) pitched an inning each.
Penn State scored six runs in the second inning to take command of the game, sending 11 batters to the plate. Hendershot led off the inning with a single through the right side and eventually scored on an RBI-single from Weisenseel, and then in his second at-bat of the frame hit an RBI-double for the inning's final run. In between, second baseman Tommy Gibson (Williamstown, N.J.) tallied an RBI-single, Sloniger drove in two with a single, and Klemann drove in one with an RBI-triple.
Mount St. Mary's answered with two unearned runs in the top of the third inning, driven in by shortstop Patrick Causa and first baseman Thomas Savastio, respectively, but Penn State got one back in the bottom half. Weisenseel led the bottom of the third off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a balk.
LHP Trey McGough (2-3) suffered the loss in his first relief appearance of the year, allowing the first five runs on five hits. Mount St. Mary's used six pitchers in the game.
Tickets for the 2018 Penn State baseball 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.
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Notes: Penn State's six runs scored in the second inning were its most in an inning since scoring seven in the top of the sixth inning at Elon in the second game of the year … Penn State snapped an 11-game losing streak.