CARY, N.C. – The Penn State baseball team split its doubleheader against LIU on Saturday at Coleman Field at the USA Baseball Complex. The Nittany Lions earned a 14-3 win in game one and fell 11-8 in game two.
Matt Wood hit two homers in game one as part of a three-hit, four-RBI game. Kellan Tulio made his first career start at Penn State and earned the win.
The Nittany Lions are 1-2 on the season, while LIU is 2-1.
Penn State concludes the weekend on Sunday with a 10 a.m. contest vs. Northeastern.
Game 1
Kellan Tulio earned the win in his first career start at Penn State. Tulio went five innings, allowing one run on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Jaden Henline entered the game in the sixth and finished it off to earn a save. Henline gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits. He struck out four batters and walked two.
Jalen Wade made the start for LIU. He threw four innings, giving up eight runs, seven earned, on seven hits. Evan Panjwani gave up four runs on six hits over two innings, while Shane Tucker threw two innings, giving up two unearned runs.
Matt Wood tied a career high with three hits, launching two homers to right, and drove in a career-best four RBI. He added an RBI double and scored four runs. Kyle Hannon had two hits, including a double, and two RBI. Jay Harry and Josh Spiegel each had two hits, while Billy Gerlott and Tayven Kelley each had two RBI.
LIU's Colin Adams had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. RJ Latkowski and Luke Turner each collected an RBI.
The Nittany Lions exploded for six runs in the first inning. Penn State loaded the bases as Wood was hit by a pitch and Johnny Piacentino and Spiegel each drew a walk. Kelley followed with a single through the middle to drive in Wood and Piacentino. Hannon followed with a single to right to plate Spiegel. Gerlott drove a single to center to score Kelley and Hannon. An error by the shortstop, off the bat of C.J. Pittaro, allowed Gerlott to cross the plate and give PSU a 6-0 lead.
LIU answered with a run in the top of the second. A double by Latkowski drove in Michael Edelman.
In the bottom of the second, Wood launched a homer to right for his first of the season. Penn State led 7-1 after two.
Wood blasted his second homer of the afternoon in the bottom of the fourth, also sending this one over the right field wall. Penn State held an 8-1 lead through four innings.
The Nittany Lions added four runs in the sixth. A double to right center by Wood drove in Pittaro, who reached on a single, and Cole Bartels, who walked. Three batters later, Harry singled through the infield to score Wood. Hannon followed with a double to right to plate Spiegel, who reached on a single. Penn State led 12-1 after six.
LIU scored two runs in the top of the eighth. A double by Adams drove in EJ Exposito. The next batter, Turner, singled to center to score Giovanni Ciaccio.
Penn State answered with two runs in the bottom half. The Nittany Lions loaded the bases as Harry reached on an error, Anthony Steele singled and Ben Kailher walked. A grounder by Gerlott allowed Harry to score. Steele then crossed the plate on a passed ball to put Penn State up, 14-3.
Game 2
Mason Mellott started the second game for Penn State. In three innings of work, he allowed three runs on four hits while striking out two and walking three. Jordan Morales entered in the fourth inning and went two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs on three hits. Steven Miller threw 1.2 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits. Chase Renner entered in the top of the sixth and allowed two runs on one hit. Ben DeMell threw 1.2 scoreless innings and struck out two. Tanner Folds finished the game, throwing a scoreless ninth.
Ryan Neuweiler started for LIU. He allowed six runs on eight hits in two innings. Nick Desalvo took over in the third inning, going 3.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Kurt Lange earned the save, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings.
Penn State's hitting picked up where it left off from game one with five runs in the first inning. After a leadoff single by Bartels, Wood lined a double to right center to bring home Bartels. Two batters later, Spiegel doubled to center to drive in Wood. An RBI single by Hannon plated two runners, Spiegel and Harry, who had drawn a walk. Hannon came across the plate on Gerlott's single to right to put Penn State ahead, 5-0.
The Sharks scored in the top of the second as Connor Price lined a double to center with the bases loaded and cleared the bases.
Penn State answered with a run in the bottom half as Harry singled through the infield to drive in Wood, who opened the inning by drawing a walk. Penn State led 6-3 after two.
LIU added two runs in the top of the fourth. Jack Power singled to left to drive in Seth Surrett. Later in the inning, Ciaccio drew a walk to score Power. The Nittany Lions held a 6-5 lead after four.
The Sharks rallied for five runs in the sixth. Ciaccio hit a bases-clearing triple to left to drive in three runs. Two batters later, Edelman doubled to plate two runs and give LIU a 10-6 advantage.
Penn State fought closer with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a Jay Harry infield single and wild pitch.
LIU would get a run back in the eighth on a bases loaded walk by Edelman. LIU would hold on to that 11-8 lead and win the game.
