COLUMBUS, Ohio – Penn State catcher Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) gave the Nittany Lions an early lead with a two-run double, but Ohio State scored four unanswered runs for a 4-2 win Friday night in Big Ten baseball action on Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.
Penn State (20-23, 3-17 Big Ten) and Ohio State (26-23, 8-11 Big Ten) will conclude the series with a doubleheader Saturday at 1:05 p.m. due to the threat of inclement weather on Sunday.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run double by Sloniger. Left fielder Mason Nadeau (Lansdale, Pa.) and second baseman Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) both scored on the play after reaching on base hits, and Kremer and Sloniger's hits both came with two outs.
Ohio State halved the Nittany Lion lead in the bottom of the third inning on an infield single off the bat of catcher Dillon Dingler with runners on the corners, and then the Buckeyes went ahead in the fifth. Right fielder Dominic Canzone and second baseman Matt Carpenter led the inning off with base hits and both scored after a walk, passed ball, another walk and a hit by pitch for a 3-2 advantage. The Lions turned to RHP Mason Mellott (State College, Pa.) with the bases loaded to get out of the inning, and he delivered with a strike out and an inning-ending groundout.
Penn State threatened in the top of the seventh, loading the bases without getting a hit, but Ohio State LHP Andrew Magno (9) worked out of the jam and pitched the final 2.2 innings without allowing a hit, walking two and striking out five.
The Buckeyes added a run in the seventh for the final margin.
LHP Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) (3-5) was tagged with the loss allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
RHP Garrett Burhenn started for the Buckeyes and allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in three innings of work. RHP Will Pfennig (1-3) earned his first career win with 3.1 innings of relief, allowing just two hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
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NOTES: Justin Williams extended his reached base streak to 11 games … 14 of Penn State's 17 conference losses have been by two runs or less.
