UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – LHP Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) and RHP Conor Larkin (Royersford, Pa.) combined to strike out 17 batters for Penn State, but Minnesota took advantage of defensive miscues for a 5-1 victory in the Big Ten baseball opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Penn State (13-4, 0-1 Big Ten) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an infield single by second baseman Gavin Homer (Battle Creek, Mich.) with the bases loaded and Biasi no-hit Minnesota (6-13, 1-0 Big Ten) through the first three innings, but three errors and two hits in the top of the fourth inning led to four unearned runs for the Golden Gophers.
Biasi (2-2) worked six innings, striking out 12 – one less than his career-high of 13 set last week – and yielded three hits and a walk with no earned runs. Larkin struck out a career-high five over the final three innings, allowing two hits, including an RBI-double by Minnesota right fielder Easton Bertrand, and a walk.
Bertrand's run-scoring hit came in the seventh for the final margin.
Both teams were limited to five hits. RHP Max Meyer (2-1) struck out seven in six innings of work, allowing just the one run on five hits and two walks. LHP Nick Lackney (2) was dominant over the last three innings, striking out two and allowing one walk.
The teams will conclude the series Sunday with a doubleheader at noon.
Tickets for the 2019 Penn State baseball season, presented by Family Clothesline, are available online at GoPSUsports.com or by calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711.
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Game Notes: Dante Biasi has struck out 10+ batters in back-to-back starts and has held opponents to one earned run or less in five of out of six starts this season … Parker Hendershot has reached base safely in ten straight games … Kris Kremer has earned a hit in six straight games.