April 28, 2018
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Northwestern used a five-run eighth inning to rally past Penn State baseball, 8-7, in Big Ten baseball action Saturday afternoon in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Penn State (9-27, 1-16 Big Ten) led 7-2 entering the eighth, but Northwestern (12-24, 3-14 Big Ten) batted around. Third baseman Charlie Maxwell hit a three-run home run to start the scoring, shortstop Jack Dunn added an RBI-single and first baseman Willie Bourbon drove in two more with a single. The Nittany Lions threatened to at least tie in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs, but a groundout back to the pitcher ended the game.
Leading for Penn State offensively was first baseman Parker Hendershot (Barton, N.Y.), who continued his tear at the plate going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double, while left fielder Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) went 3-for-4 with double and RBI off the bench. Additionally, second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) went 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and three runs scored and center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) went 2-for-5 with a triple RBI.
Hendershot and Bowersox both extended hitting streaks to eight, with Hendershot batting at a particularly torrid pace of .533 (16-for-30) with 13 RBIs and four runs scored.
On the mound, the Nittany Lions were unable to take advantage of another strong starting pitching effort as LHP Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) allowed just a run on four hits and two walks in six innings pitched, striking out five.
Maxwell led the Wildcats at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles in addition to his three-run home run, while Dunn, Bourbon and second baseman Alex Erro also posted two-hit games.
Penn State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, as Hughes hit an RBI-single and later scored on an error. The Lions then stretched their lead to 4-0 when Hughes added a run in the fourth on a wild pitch and Hendershot singled up the middle for an RBI in the fifth.
Northwestern tallied its first run in the top of the sixth, but Hendershot drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half to maintain a four-run advantage. A passed ball in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded allowed Northwestern to score another run, but Penn State answered with two runs in the bottom half, and Giavedoni singled off the pitcher's heel for an RBI and then scored on Bowersox's triple.
The Nittany Lions had no answer for the Wildcats' six-run eighth. RHP Danny Katz (1-3) earned the win in relief, while LHP Richard Forndon picked up his second save of the season after escaping the ninth without allowing a run despite yielding two hits and hitting one. He also struck out two.
It was the Wildcats' second rally of the day, as they scored the go-ahead runs in the top of the ninth in a game suspended until Saturday from the night before due to weather.
Penn State and Northwestern will 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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