CARY, N.C. – RHP Eric Mock (Shillington, Pa,) went 8.2 innings and center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) hit a three-run home run to lead Penn State past Fairfield, 4-2, Monday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Penn State (6-0) earned its second-straight three-game series sweep with win.
Mock earned all but the final out for a career-long appearance and surrendered the two runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Shortstop Jack Gethings scored both of the Fairfield (0-3) runs, hitting triples in the fourth and ninth innings and scoring on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Dylan Reynolds in the fourth and an RBI-single by first baseman Anthony Boselli in the ninth.
After the fourth-inning triple, Mock retired 17-straight batters until Gethings and Boselli touched him for back-to-back hits. With his pitch count over 100 and the tying run and the plate, Penn State went to the bullpen and called on RHP Kyle Virbitsky (1) (Media, Pa.) to make his season debut and earn his first career save.
With Mock dominant on the mound, Bowersox's three-run home run in the first inning was all Penn State needed. The shot over the left field fence came with two outs and left fielder Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) and third baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.) on base via a hit by pitch and base hit, respectively.
Penn State's other run came in the eighth inning after Kremer reached on an error, stole second and then scored on a two-base throwing error.
The Stags had strong pitching as well, as freshman LHP Michael Sansone went six innings in his debut, only allowing two hits over his last five innings after Bowersox's homer.
Penn State will head to the Sunshine State for its next six games, starting by hosting a three-game series against Duke at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, that begins Friday at 4 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.
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NOTES: Penn State's 6-0 start is its best since starting the 1980 season 8-0 … Penn State's six-game winning streak is its longest since winning six-straight games in 2016.
