UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State completed a sweep of UMass Lowell by walking-off the River Hawks for a second-straight day, winning 3-2 in the bottom of the 10th inning on an RBI-single up the middle by freshman Ryan Ford (Freehold, N.J.) Sunday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
First baseman Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) scored from second on the play, diving head-first into home and getting his hand underneath the tag for the winning run. Sloniger had walked to lead-off the inning and advanced to second when catcher Jacob Padilla (Wylie, Texas) reached on catcher's interference. Ford was trying to get a sacrifice bunt down earlier in the count, but missed, so he showed bunt again, but pulled back and slapped the ball up the middle for the game-winning hit.
Ford drove in two of Penn State's three runs on the day, also hitting a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
Penn State improved to 13-3 with its fifth-straight win, continuing its best start since 1980. UMass Lowell fell to (2-16) suffering its fourth series sweep against an Autonomy Five school.
Three Penn State pitchers combined to hold UMass Lowell to two runs. RHP Mason Mellott (4-0) earned the win in relief, allowing a runner he inherited from LHP Tyler Shingledecker (Huntersville, N.C.) to score and four hits and a walk. He entered with one out in the eighth and struck out three before finishing the game in the 10th. Shingledecker struck out four after taking over in the sixth, allowing just a walk and a hit. Sophomore RHP Conor Larkin (Royersford, Pa.) started and went a career-high five innings, only allowing a run in the first inning. He walked four, allowed four hits and struck out three.
Ford's hit was just Penn State's fourth of the day, but the Nittany Lions drew 10 walks to keep pressure on the River Hawks.
UMass Lowell got on the board first in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Michael Young drew a walk, designated hitter Andrew Roden doubled down the left field line to advance Young to third, and first baseman Steve Passatempo hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Young on the play.
After giving up the run, Larkin settled in, only allowing two hits in his next four innings of work.
UMass Lowell RHP Sal Fusco did not allow a hit until left fielder Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) beat out an infield single to third in the sixth inning. Sloniger followed Kremer's hit with a single to right, and then a hit by pitch on Padilla loaded the bases, and Ford's sacrifice fly to deep right field tied the game.
Fusco struck out the first two batters of the seventh inning, but walked the next two, and he exited the game after 6.2 innings allowing two hits and striking out six, but issuing seven walks. The River Hawks' bullpen issued two more walks though, with Sloniger drawing the fourth straight for a go-ahead run, 2-1.
UMass Lowell evened the game in the eighth inning with three singles, as shortstop Oscar Marchena's hit drov in a run to make it 2-2.
The Nittany Lions were able to rally in the 10th though for the win.
Penn State continues its homestand Friday, opening Big Ten play against Minnesota. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. and the three-game series will continue with games at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.
The 2019 Penn State baseball season is presented by the Family Clothesline. 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: It was Penn State's fourth walk-off win of the season, as the Nittany Lions won their season opener in a neutral site contest against Monmouth on a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the ninth (2/15), Gavin Homer blasted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th in a neutral site contest against Fairfield (2/24) and an error in the bottom of the ninth Saturday gave Penn State a 7-6 win … Jacob Padilla has reached base safely in 11 straight games … Parker Hendershot has reached base safely in nine straight games … Penn State is 6-0 in one-run games this year after going 5-13 in one run games last year … Penn State is off to its best start since also opening the 1980 season with a 13-3 record … Mason Mellott's four wins are the most by a Penn State pitcher since Sal Biasi won five games in 2017.
