May 11, 2018
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" It was a tale of two games in a non-conference baseball doubleheader Friday afternoon on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, as Penn State dropped the opening contest of the day to Xavier, 11-1, only to respond with a 13-1 victory in the second game to clinch the three-game series.
Both games ended after seven innings as the teams agreed to a 10-run rule after the seventh inning. The games mirrored each other as Xavier (17-33) used a six-run third inning and a complete game effort from LHP Nick Zwack (2-5) to build and maintain an early lead in the first contest, and Penn State used a six-run second inning and complete game effort from LHP Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) (3-5) to do the same in the second.
Game 2
Biasi went the distance, pitching seven innings and allowing only an unearned run on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts, while the Penn State offense matched its season high of 13 runs. Freshman second baseman Tommy Gibson (Williamstown, N.J.) reached base four times and scored all four times, going a career-high 3-for-3 with a double and RBI. The top of the order tallied three RBIs each, as lead off batter and center fielder Mason Nadeau (Lansdale, Pa.) went 2-for-5 with a double and two-hole hitter and left fielder Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney, Pa.) cleared the bases with a double. Also enjoying multi-RBI games were first baseman Shea Sbranti (Oakley, Calif.), who started the second-inning scoring with a two-run home run, and catcher Derek Orndorff (Mill Run, Pa.) who drove in two with a double.
Penn State took command with its six-run second inning. Third baseman Parker Hendershot (Barton, N.Y.) led off with a single and Sbranti followed with a home run to right field for a 2-0 lead. Then after an out, right fielder Curtis Robison (Dillsburg, Pa.) walked, Gibson was hit by a pitch and Ordorff walked to load the bases. A shallow fly out resulted in a second out, but Giavedoni delivered with a double to the left-center gap to empty the bases. Designated hitter Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) then followed with a single to right to plate Giavedoni.
The Nittany Lions added three more runs in the third for a 9-0 lead. Shortstop Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) doubled and then scored on a double by Gibson. Later with the bases loaded, Nadeau drove in two more runs with a single to left field.
The fourth was scoreless, but Penn State added another run in the fifth, as Gibson singled with one out, advanced to second on a fielder's choice and scored on a double by Nadeau.
Xavier scored in the top of the sixth inning on an error, but Penn State answered with three runs in the bottom half to put the run rule in effect. Robison hit a sacrifice fly and Ordorff's two-RBI double were enough to end the game after Biasi shut down Xavier in the top of the seventh.
Senior student-athletes Nick Distasio (Oley, Pa.), Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Jake Pilewicz (Sewickley, Pa.) Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.) and Colin Macon (Freedom, Pa.) and student manager Sam Ligeros were honored after the game for their contributions to Penn State baseball.
Game 1
A big third inning and a stellar pitching performance from LHP Nick Zwack led Xavier past Penn State, 11-1 in the first game.
Zwack allowed leadoff single to center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.), but Bowersox was caught stealing and Zwack retired the next 16 batters before yielding a walk to Orndorff and an RBI-triple to Bowersox with two outs in the sixth. Zwack pitched all seven innings, yielding just a run on three hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
Xavier scored six runs on eight hits in the third inning, as RHP Justin Hagenman (Voorhees, N.J.) (3-6) allowed four-straight hits to open the frame, resulting in a two-run single by Soria to left. After a fly out, first baseman Matt Warkentin followed with an RBI-single and right fielder Joe Gellenbeck hit a three-run home run over the right field bleachers for a six-run inning.
Hagenman bounced back to retire the next nine, but ultimately allowed seven runs on nine hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings pitched.
Shortstop Chris Givin and catcher Nate Soria drove in a run each in the sixth and the Musketeers added three runs in the seventh, as left fielder Blaine Griffiths hit an RBI-triple and scored on a wild pitch, while center fielder Ryan Fournier hit a solo home run.
Up Next
Penn State will conclude its home slate Monday against St. Bonaventure with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.
Tickets for Monday's finale are available online at GoPSUsports.com or by calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711.
Check back to GoPSUSports.com for continued updates on Penn State Baseball. Follow on Twitter at @PennStateBASE and Facebook at Penn State Baseball.