UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team beat Milwaukee, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon in game two of the weekend series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. It marked another comeback victory fueled by a dominant Nittany Lions bullpen performance, which shut out the Panthers for the last five innings of the game.
Penn State moves to 7-9 on the season with its second win of the series. Milwaukee is now 5-8.
Tommy Molsky made his fifth start on the season, pitching 3.1 innings and not allowing a hit. Molsky gave up three runs (one earned) and struck out three.
Molsky was relieved by Jordan Morales for the final out of the fourth inning. Morales pitched into the sixth inning, going two full scoreless innings, to earn his second win of the season. The junior allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out two. Steven Miller earned his first save of the year, throwing 3.2 shutout innings. He allowed two hits and struck out six batters.
For Milwaukee, starting righthander Nick Gilhaus went four innings with four strikeouts. He gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks. Gilhaus was relieved by Eliot Turnquist in the fifth, who did not allow a run over the final four innings as he collected four strikeouts.
The Nittany Lions scored four runs off five hits and four walks, led by designated hitter Josh Spiegel. The junior reached base a team high three times and scored the game-tying run in the fourth inning. Kyle Hannon hit his first triple of the season to drive in a run. Jay Harry, Johnny Piacentino and Cole Bartels each also finished with an RBI.
Entering the game as a pinch hitter in the fourth, outfielder Zach Nogalski had an RBI single. Aaron Chapman, Mark Connelly, and Jack Thelen each scored a run for Milwaukee.
Hannon began the game's scoring in the bottom of the second when he drove in Billy Gerlott on an RBI triple to deep left center.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Bartels drove in Harry from second on an RBI single up the middle to extend Penn State's lead to 2-0. Harry had safely reached second after an initial hit by pitch and an error by Milwaukee on a fielder's choice.
Milwaukee responded in the top of the fourth when a wild pitch, followed by a throwing error, scored both Chapman and Connelly on the play. The scoring continued when pinch hitter Zach Nogalski drove in Thelen from third with a single to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
Penn State answered in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs. With one out, Ben Kailher singled through the left side to put Spiegel, who walked, in scoring position at second. Harry followed with a game-tying single up the middle to score Spiegel and put Kailher on third. A walk by Wood loaded the bases, which set up a sacrifice fly to right field from Piacentino to retake the lead, 4-3, as Kailher crossed the plate.
The Nittany Lions conclude the series against the Panthers on Sunday at 11 a.m. The game will be livestreamed on B1G+.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Steven Miller