BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State baseball team (2-4, 2-4) dropped a pair of conference games to the Indiana Hoosiers 7-2 and 8-0 Saturday. The Hoosiers tough pitching staff limited the Nittany Lions offensive opportunities during the twin bill.
How it Happened
Game 1
The Hoosiers scored first in the bottom of the second as Indiana sent eight men to the plate, scoring three in the frame off starter Bailey Dees.
Penn State responded with two runs in the top of the third. After a leadoff walk by Justin Williams and a double by Curtis Robison, Gavin Homer laced a double down the left field line to plate Williams and Robison.
Indiana added an unearned run in the fourth to extend its lead to 4-2.
The Nittany Lions threatened in the top of the fifth as the first two hitters reached and advanced to second and third with one out. A flyout from Homer was too shallow to score the runner from third for two outs in the frame. A walk loaded the bases with two outs. A strikeout ended the inning as the Nittany Lions couldn't cut into the lead.
Indiana scored three more runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 7-2 lead and this score held as the Hoosiers took the seven-inning game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Game 2
A stellar pitchers duel between Connor Larkin and Indiana's McCade Brown was the story through the first five innings of the second game of the doubleheader.
Indiana scored a run with two outs in the bottom of the first and then the duel began. Brown retired 15 straight Nittany Lions and after the first inning run, Larkin struck out seven and allowed just four base runners.
Larkin was lifted after the fifth and the Hoosiers took advantage. Indiana scored seven runs on six hits and sent 11 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.
The Nittany Lions recorded their first hit of the game in the top eighth on a leadoff single by Jay Harry.
The Hoosiers pitching staff completed the shutout and recorded the final six outs and Indiana took the nine-inning game two 8-0.
Stats
Game 1
Dees (L, 1-1) – 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 7 Ks
Evans – 1 2/3, 1 H, 1 ER
Williams – 2-2, 1 R, 1 BB
Game 2
Larkin (L, 0-2) – 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 7 Ks
Miller - 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER
Gagnon – 1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER
Kohls – 2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER
Tomorrow's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET.