CARY, N.C. – Penn State completed a three-game sweep of Monmouth, taking the series finale, 6-4, Sunday afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
RHP Eric Mock (1-0) (Shillington, Pa.) led Penn State (3-0) on the mound, striking out a career-high nine in six one-hit innings, while at the plate, six Nittany Lions tallied an RBI each, four posted two-hit games and right fielder Curtis Robison (Dillsburg, Pa.) homered. Additionally, left fielder Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) reached base a game-high four times, going 1-for-2 with three walks and scoring twice. Penn State totaled 11 hits while allowing just three.
Kremer led the bottom of the third off with a walk and designated hitter Parker Hendershot (Barton, N.Y.) gave Penn State a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a two-out single to left to plate Kremer from third. Kremer led the third inning off with another walk, stole second and then scored on a base hit from third baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.), and then Klemann scored following back-to-back hits from Hendershot and center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) for a 3-0 lead after three innings.
Monmouth (0-3) left fielder JD Andreessen scored the Hawks' first run of the series in the fourth inning by taking advantage of a trio of wild pitches and stealing second base. However, Mock struck out the final two batters to end the inning to preserve a 3-1 lead.
Penn State extended its lead to 6-1 with a run each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. RHP Nick Houghton took over on the mound for Monmouth in the fourth inning, relieving LHP Ryan Steckline (0-1), and Robison sent the second pitch he threw over the right field wall. Shortstop Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) hit an RBI-single in the fifth to score Bowersox, and catcher Shea Sbranti (Oakley, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to drive home second baseman Gavin Homer (Battle Creek, Mich.), who had doubled to lead-off the inning.
Monmouth scored a run each in the final three innings, but sophomore RHP Mason Mellott (1) (State College, Pa.) kept the Hawks in check over the final two innings to preserve the lead.
Penn State next hosts Fairfield at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, opening a four-game series Friday at 2 p.m.
Penn State opens its home slate Mar. 15 and tickets are on sale online by clicking here or by calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711.
Follow Penn State baseball on Twitter and Instagram at @PennStateBASE and Facebook at /pennstatebaseball for all of the latest news and updates and behind the scenes action.
Notes: Penn State is 3-0 to start a season for a second consecutive year ... Penn State held Monmouth scoreless for 21.1 innings to open the series … Penn State allowed just eight hits over the weekend, holding Monmouth to a .085 batting average … The eight hits allowed are Penn State's fewest in a three-game span since at least 2004.
