April 28, 2018
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Northwestern scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally from two runs down and complete a suspended Big Ten baseball game from Friday night Saturday afternoon in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Saturday's previously scheduled game is in progress as of publishing time.
Penn State (9-26, 1-15 Big Ten) led Northwestern (11-24, 2-14 Big Ten), 6-4, in the bottom of the eighth inning when thunderstorms halted game play. It resumed at 1 p.m. with the Lions batting but LHP Matt Gannon (2-0) was able to retire the first two Lions he faced.
In the top of the ninth, with runners on the corners and two outs, catcher Jack Claeys singled up the middle to drive in a run to trail Penn State, 6-5. Third baseman Charlie Maxwell then followed with a deep fly to center field that carried over the center fielder and dropped just in front of the wall and scoring both base runners for a 7-6 lead.
The Nittany Lions threatened in the bottom of the ninth with third baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.) singling and designated hitter Parker Hendershot (Barton, N.Y.) drawing a walk, but a deep fly by left fielder Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) was tracked in front of the warning track in center field for the final out.
RHP Mason Mellott (State College, Pa.) (0-1) suffered the loss on the mound after yielding the ninth-inning runs, and it spoiled a win opportunity for RHP Justin Hagenman (Voorhees, N.J.), who worked a season-high eight innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on 10 hits and no walks with eight strikeouts.
Hendershot paced the Lions at the plate going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a double, sacrifice fly, run scored and walk.
For Northwestern, designated hitter Connor Lind and center fielder Ben Dickey are both tallied three hits. Lind also doubled with two RBIs and a run scored.
Northwestern was first on the board in the second inning after stringing together back-to-back hits. Maxwell doubled down the right line and Lind followed with a single to right-center to drive him home.
Penn State tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Bowersox. Right fielder Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) doubled to lead off the frame and was sacrificed to third to move into scoring position, and he scored on Bowersox's fly to left.
Northwestern went back ahead with a run in the fourth, 2-1, but Penn State scored the next five runs, all with two outs, to build a 6-2 lead. The Nittany Lions started the rally by scoring two runs with two down in the fifth to take its first lead, 3-2. Weisenseel drew a two-out walk, which was followed by a Bowersox double to drive him home. Sloniger then lifted a single to right center to plate Bowersox.
The sixth was scoreless, but Penn State scored three in the seventh after its first two batters of the inning were retired. Bowersox walked, Sloniger singled, and after a pitching change, third baseman Connor Klemann drew a walk to load the bases. That brought Hendershot to the plate, and then during his at-bat, Bowersox scored on a wild pitch. Sloniger and Klemann both advanced a base, as well, and Hendershot drove in both with a base hit.
The Wildcats halved the deficit though in the eighth with a pair of unearned runs to trail, 6-4, and then completed their comeback with three runs in the ninth.