UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Cole Bartels delivered a walk-off single to lead the Nittany Lions baseball team to a 3-2 win over #18 Michigan on Friday evening. Penn State (4-8, 4-8), and Michigan (9-4, 9-4) will conclude its three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m. ET.
How It Happened
- The Nittany Lions struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second. Jay Harry got the two-out rally started with a seven-pitch walk. Harry scored on a ringing double down the left field line by Tayven Kelley.
- Kelley advanced to third on a passed ball and later scored on a single by Parker Hendershot. Kris Kremer singled to extend the frame, but the Nittany Lions couldn't add to the lead any further.
- Michigan scratched across a run in the top of the third to cut the Penn State lead to 2-1. A one-out single and a double put runners on second and third with one out. An effective groundout scored the runner from third.
- The Wolverines looked to break open the game in top of the fourth as the first three hitter reached safely. The fourth batter of the inning flew out to left as the out was deep enough to score the runner from third. Dees buckled down and got a pop out to first and then a strikeout to limit the damage to just one run in the inning.
- In the top of the sixth, Justin Williams hammered a lead off double off the center field wall to open the inning. Williams advanced to third on a wild pitch with no outs. The Nittany Lions were unable to cash in on the scoring opportunity as the next three Nittany Lions were set down in order.
- Dees got the first two Wolverines in the top of the seventh before surrendering a two-out single. Dees was lifted for Tyler Shingledecker as he was tasked with getting the final out of the frame.
- Dees finished with a final line of 6.2 innings, seven strikeouts and allowed just two runs.
- Shingledecker needed only one pitch to end the seventh. Shingledecker also worked around a lead off error in the eighth, stranding a runner third in the frame.
- Mason Mellott replaced Shingledecker in the top of the ninth and recorded the final two outs of the inning to bring the Nittany Lions to the dish with a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth.
- After a fly out to begin the inning, Gavin Homer singled and stole second. The next two Nittany Lions went down on strikes and the Nittany Lions and Wolverines would head to extra innings.
- Mellott worked out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 10th.
- Coming off the bench as a pinch hitter, Curtis Robison doubled down the left field line to lead off the 10th. Kremer was walked intentionally to bring Cole Bartels to the plate.
- After a ball to open the at bat, Bartels slashed and chopped the ball over the drawn in third baseman to score Robison from second and give Penn State the 3-2 win.
Stats
Robison – 1-1, 2B, R
Williams – 2-4, 2B,
Hendershot – 1-2, 1 RBI
Kelley – 1-4, 2B, 1 RBI
Bartels – 1-5, RBI
Dees – 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 7 Ks
Shingledecker – 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 Ks
Mellott (W, 1-0), 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 Ks