April 21, 2018
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. ââ'¬" Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) forced extra innings with a pinch-hit home run in the top of the ninth inning, but Michigan won in the bottom of the 11th on a suicide squeeze bunt, 8-7, in Big Ten baseball action Saturday afternoon in Ray Fisher Stadium.
The back-and-forth game featured four ties and four lead changes. Penn State (8-24, 1-13 Big Ten) fended off Michigan (23-11, 10-0 Big Ten) by stranding two base runners each in the bottom of the ninth and 10th innings, but the Wolverines were able to get runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the 11th. Designated hitter Dominic Clementi broke home from third on a pitch to shortstop Jack Blomgren, and Blomgren bunted the ball in front of home plate. Catcher Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) scooped it up, but was unable to catch Clementi with the tag before he touched home for the game-winning run.
The Nittany Lions out hit the Wolverines 14-13, led by freshman Parker Hendershot (Barton, N.Y.) who went 3-for-5 with a double, walk and a career-high three RBIs. Sloniger also tallied three hits, finishing a home run shy of the cycle and scoring twice.
On the mound, LHP Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) left with the lead after five innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. RHP Conor Larkin (Royersford, Pa.) was strong in 1 1/3 innings of relief, while RHP Mason Mellott (State College, Pa.) bounced back after allowing two inherited runners to score, working a career-high 3 1/3 innings and yielding an unearned run on five hits and two walks with a career high-matching five strikeouts. RHP Kyle Virbitsky (Media, Pa.) (0-2) was tagged with the loss.
RHP William Tribucher (3-2) worked the final 3 2/3 innings for Michigan to earn the win, striking out five and allowing Giavedoni's home run in addition to two other hits and two walks. At the plate for Michigan, nine different batters tallied at least one hit.
The first inning was scoreless, but after a six-RBI day Friday, Michigan third baseman Blake Nelson started the scoring in the second, following a lead-off double by first baseman Jesse Franklin in the second with a single up the middle
Penn State tied it up in the very next frame though with all three batters in the bottom of the order reaching. Third baseman Logan Goodnight (Wheeling, W.Va.) led it off by reaching on a two-base error, and he advanced to third on a bunt single by right fielder Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) That allowed Goodnight to score easily on a joe Weisenseel (Strongsville, Ohio) double off the right field wall.
Michigan regained the lead, 3-1, in the bottom half of the third on an RBI-double by center fielder Jonathan Engelmann and a sacrifice fly by Franklin.
The Nittany Lions roared into the lead in the top of the fifth inning with four runs. Weisenseel walked to leadoff, and center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) and Sloniger both bunted for base hits to load the bases with no outs. First baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.) and Hendershot then delivered with back-to-back doubles to drive in two each and give the Lions a 5-3 lead.
Michigan right fielder Christian Bullock immediately halved the lead with a first-pitch home run over the right field wall in the bottom half, but Penn State restored its two-run lead in the top of the seventh. Sloniger led the frame off with a double down the left line and advanced to third on a fly out, allowing him to trot home on a Hendershot single to right.
The Wolverines rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. With one on and two outs, a hit batsman and walk loaded the bases, and left fielder Jordan Nwogu doubled through the left side to drive in two and tie the game at 6-6.
Michigan then took the lead, 7-6, in the bottom of the eighth, taking advantage of a dropped fly ball to prolong the inning and load the bases, and Engelmann hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run.
The lead was short-lived as Giavedoni blasted a pinch-hit home run over the "Great Wall of Ann Arbor" in left field in the top of the ninth, but the Wolverines prevailed in the 11th.
Penn State and Michigan conclude the series Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
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 freshman Kris Kremer made his first career start and tallied his first career multi-hit game … Classmate Parker Hendershot is Penn State's hottest hitter over the last five games, going 9-for-18 with two doubles and seven RBIs … Michigan extended its winning streak to 19 games, going to extra innings for the first time during the streak and this season … Penn State fell to 4-10 in one run games and 0-3 in extra innings this season … Penn State's 14 one-run games are its most since 2012.