UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team (6-11, 6-11) fell in the series finale 6-4 to Rutgers (9-8, 9-8). The Nittany Lions won two of three in the series and head to East Lansing next week for the first pod weekend of the season.
How it Happened
- Senior second baseman opened the game with a lead off home run to put the Nittany Lions on top 1-0 in the first.
- Three batters later, Justin Williams launched his third home run of the season and second of the series to extend Penn State's lead to 2-0.
- Starter Kyle Virbitsky worked around a pair of singles in the first to keep Penn State ahead 2-0 after one.
- The Nittany Lions added another run in the top of the third as Johnny Piacentino blasted his team-leading fifth home run to give Penn State a 3-0 lead.
- Virbitsky continued to put up zeros on the scoreboard as the game entered the fifth inning.
- Tayven Kelley doubled to left field with one out and advanced to third as an error by the Rutgers shortstop allowed for the Nittany Lions to have runners on first and third with one out.
- Williams lifted a sac fly to right field to score Kelly and give the Nittany Lions a 4-0 lead.
- Virbitsky did not allow a run through seven innings and the Nittany Lions entered the bottom of the eighth leading 4-0.
- The Nittany Lions starter finished with a career-best 7.1 innings pitched in his Sunday appearance, but did not factor in the decision.
- In the eighth, the Scarlet Knights loaded the bases with one out. Back-to-back walks forced in a pair of runs.
- A grand slam to right center gave Rutgers a 6-4 lead heading into the ninth. The Nittany Lions went in order in the ninth and fell 6-4.
- The Nittany Lions travel to East Lansing to play Michigan State and Purdue in the first pod weekend of the season.
Stats
Williams – 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
Homer – 1-5, HR, RBI, R
Piacentino – 1-4, HR, RBI, R
Virbitsky (ND) – 7.1 IP (career-high), 7 H, 3 ER