UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Third baseman Connor Klemann (Royersford, Pa.) drove in the game-winning runs in the eighth inning, while clutch pitches and defense kept Binghamton in check throughout the game as Penn State defeated the Bearcats, 5-3, in non-conference baseball action Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Klemann enjoyed his best game of the season, going 3-for-4 with a double and a two-run single up the middle in the eighth inning that scored two Penn State (14-6) runners and break a 3-3 tie with Binghamton (8-10). Second baseman Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) also had a two-run single for the Nittany Lions, giving them their first lead of the game, 2-1, in the fifth inning, while centerfielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The Bearcats pressured Penn State throughout, loading the bases three times and tying the game at 3-3 in the top of the eighth, but all three Penn State pitchers set career-highs for strikeouts and the Nittany Lions turned a season-high three double plays over the last four innings to strand 12.
LHP Tyler Shingledecker (Huntersville, N.C.) pitched a career-high 4.1 innings of relief after entering with no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the third inning with one run already across. Shingledecker struck out the first two batters he faced after relieving RHP Cole Bartels (Belmont, Mass.) and induced a fly out to end the inning without any of the inherited runners scoring. He then totaled a career-high seven strikeouts before giving way to RHP Jared Freilich (1-0) (Worcester, Mass.), who earned his first career win working the final 2.2 innings and striking out a career-high three.
Freilich appeared to be on his way to his first save instead, but Binghamton loaded the bases with three base hits and two coming with two outs, and then tied the game on back-to-back infield hits. Freilich was able to get his third strikeout of the inning though to end the frame.
Binghamton first threatened in the first inning, recovering from a lead-off strikeout to load the bases with a double and two walks, but Bartels stuck out the next two batters to end the threat. Bartels worked a 1-2-3 second but was unable to get an out in the third after giving up a lead-off single and three consecutive walks.
After Shingledecker got Penn State out of the jam in the third, the Nittany Lions went ahead 2-1 in the fifth. Shortstop Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) and left fielder Ryan Ford (Freehold, N.J.) both singled with one out and a mishandle on Ford's allowed both runners to move into scoring position. After a strikeout, Kremer delivered with a two-out single up the middle to score both.
Hughes singled to lead-off the seventh and advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a balk, allowing him to score on a sacrifice fly by Bowersox.
Binghamton tied the game in the top of the eighth, but first baseman Parker Hendershot was hit by a pitch with one out and catcher Jacob Padilla (Wylie, Texas) beat out an infield hit to third, inducing a poor throw that allowed both to move into scoring position for Klemann. Klemann delivered with a hit up the middle with the infield playing in.
Freilich walked the first batter of the ninth, but a fly out was followed by a double play to end the game.
Penn State next hits the road for a three-game series at Purdue starting Friday.
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: Penn State's 14-6 start is its best since posting the same record in 2000 … Ryan Ford started in left field for the first time in his career … Kris Kremer batted in two runs in the bottom of the fifth to bring him up to a total of 16 RBIs on the season and mark his fourth game with two RBIs … Kremer owns the teams' second-longest reached base streak at nine games and tied his own personal-best streak from earlier this season … Jacob Padilla improved his reached-based streak to all 13 games he has played as a Nittany Lion … Cole Bartels struck out a career high four batters with two strikeouts coming in the top of the first inning with the bases loaded … Mac Hippenhammer improved to a career-best four-game hitting streak.
