CARY, N.C. – RHP Kyle Virbitsky (Media, Pa.) led a one-hitter on the mound and freshman Johnny Piacentino (Cherry Hill, N.J.) went 4-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs in his first career start, as Penn State rebounded from a 1-0 loss to Wagner in the first game of the day with an 11-0 win over the Seahawks in the second, Saturday afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Game 2
A lead-off single by second baseman Cody Bey was the only hit Wagner (2-4) mustered against Penn State (4-2), as Virbitsky (1-1) set career highs for innings pitched (6.0) and strikeouts (6) and yielded just two walks in addition to the base knock to center. RHP Steven Miller (Pittsburgh, Pa.) walked one and struck out three in the seventh-and-final inning to secure the Nittany Lions' first shutout since blanking Indiana on Apr. 5, 2019.
The bottom of the Penn State batting order proved to be the offensive catalysts as Piacentino (4-for-4, 2B, HR, 3R, 5 RBIs), freshman second baseman Ben Kailher (Rumford, R.I.) (1-for-2, R, SF, HBP, RBI) and designated hitter Gavin Homer (Battle Creek, Mich.) (3-for-3, 3B, R, 4RBIs) combined to go 8-for-9 with all 10 RBIs. Piacentino's five RBIs were the most in a single game for Penn State since Kris Kremer (Hershey, Pa.) drove in six vs. No. 23 Duke last season. Three of his RBIs came on a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Piacentino and Kailher drove in the first two runs of the game in the second inning with an RBI-single and sacrifice fly, respectively. The Nittany Lions then scored three runs each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Homer accounted for the fourth-inning runs with a Little League home run, driving in Piacentino and Kailher with a triple and then scoring himself on the play with a throwing error at third. In the fifth, Piacentino drove in one with a single and Homer drove in two more with another base hit, matching his career high for RBIs.
Game 1
RHP Bailey Dees (1-1) (Charlotte, N.C.) struck out eight in six innings and did not allow a walk, but yielded five hits and a run in a hard-luck loss. Wagner's game-deciding run crossed in the top of the third inning when Bey hit a grounder deep into the hole at short with runners on the corners, preventing a double play on the fielder's choice.
LHP Tyler Shingledecker (Huntersville, N.C.) was strong in relief for the Nittany Lions, striking out three and allowing one hit over the final three innings.
RHP Ryan Lauk (1-0) earned the win for Wagner, blanking Penn State with seven strikeouts and only allowing three hits and a walk.
Next Up
Penn State concludes the three-game series with Wagner Sunday at 11 a.m.
The complete 2020 baseball schedule is available at GoPSUsports.com. Ticket, promotional and broadcast information will be announced at a future date. The 2020 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
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