CARY, N.C. – Mason Mellott, Tyler Shingledecker and Jaden Henline combined to lead the Penn State baseball team to a 1-0 shutout win over UMass on Sunday. Mellott threw five scoreless innings to earn the win. Matt Wood launched his fourth homer of the season. Penn State moved to 5-9 overall. UMass is now 2-4-1 on the year.
Mellott started the game for the Nittany Lions. He put in a dominant performance, going five shutout innings. Mellott allowed just one hit and one walk, while striking out three. The graduate student retired the side in three innings and faced only three batters in four innings.
Shingledecker took over on the mound in the sixth and picked up where Mellott left off. The senior threw three perfect innings, including four strikeouts. The senior faced just 10 batters, with one reaching on an error. Jaden Henline entered in the ninth. throwing a scoreless frame and striking out two.
Mellott, Shingledecker and Heline combined for Penn State's first shutout since an 11-0 win vs. Purdue on April 10, 2021. Penn State allowed just three Minutemen to reach base.
Daniel Livnat got the start for UMass, throwing six innings. He allowed one run on eight hits and one walk. Livnat struck out four batters. Zach Clevenger entered the game in the seventh, who went 1.2 innings and struck out two. Jack Pawloski replaced Clevenger with two outs in the eighth and struck out the only batter he faced.
Wood led the Penn State offense with two hits, including a solo homer in the first. Josh Spiegel also had two hits, including a double. Penn State recorded eight hits.
Mike Gervasi recorded UMass' only hit, an infield single in the second inning.
With one out in the first, Wood launched a 1-2 pitch over the wall, and scoreboard, in right to give Penn State an early 1-0 lead.
The inning continued as Spiegel doubled to left two batters later, but a fly out ended the inning.
The Nittany Lions got three runners on in the sixth inning. Wood led off the frame with a single to left. Billy Gerlott worked a four-pitch walk to put runners on first and second. A bunt attempt then resulted in a fielder's choice as Wood as thrown out going to third. A single to left by Kyle Hannon followed but the runner was thrown out at the plate. A fielder's choice ended the inning.
In the seventh, Penn State got a pair of runners on with two outs. Ben Kailher was hit by a pitch and Cole Bartels reached on a fielding error to put two runners on. However, a ground out concluded the frame.
Penn State begins an 11-game home stretch, hosting Niagara for a two-game series on March 15-16. Both games are scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
The Nittany Lions welcome Milwaukee for a three-game series next weekend, March 18-20, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Mason Mellott