UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team defeated St. Bonaventure, 3-2, in 10 innings on Wednesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano park. In a strong pitching battle, Penn State got the game-winning run in the 10th.
The Nittany Lions improved to 9-13 overall, while the Bonnies fell to 0-15.
Following two strong innings by Chase Renner in the ninth and 10th innings, Matt Wood started the bottom of the 10th with a single to right. Cole Bartels then sent a grounder through the hole on the left side of the infield to put runners on first and second. On an 0-1 pitch, Jay Harry lined a ball into right field to allow Wood to come around and cross the plate.
It was Penn State's first extra-innings win since March 26, 2021 against No. 18 Michigan, a 3-2 victory.
Kellan Tulio made his fifth start of the year for the Nittany Lions and pitched a perfect first inning, including a strikeout. Tommy Molsky and Jordan Morales each tossed perfect frames in relief, collecting two strikeouts apiece. Carson Kohls came on for the fourth inning and sat the Bonnies down in order yet again.
Kohls allowed one run in the fifth, then gave way to Seneca Gregory in the top of the sixth. Gregory conceded a base hit but nothing more in his outing. Ryan Partridge took the hill in the seventh and hurled two innings but allowed the Bonnies to tie it up in the seventh. Chase Renner took over in the ninth and worked around a leadoff walk to complete a scoreless inning. He followed with a 1-2-3 performance in the 10th inning to earn his first career win.
Tripp Breen got the start for St. Bonaventure and limited the Nittany Lions to two runs on two hits through four innings of work. Kyle Caringi entered in the fifth and delivered three shutout innings before Gabe Watts took over in the eighth. Watts pitched 2.1 scoreless innings before giving up the winning run with one out in the tenth inning.
Harry went 2-for-4 with two of the Nittany Lions' three RBIs on the day. Matt Wood scored on both of Harry's RBI hits as a part of his productive day at the plate. Cole Bartels, Billy Gerlott, Ben Kailher and Johnny Piacentino each had base knocks in the winning effort.
Harry got Penn State on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a two-out RBI double that scored Wood. With two outs in the inning, Wood drew a walk and moved up to second on a wild pitch. After a walk by Bartels, Harry hit a line drive into the corner in right field.
The Nittany Lions struck again in the second, this time on a throwing error by St. Bonaventure. Kailher drew a walk to begin the inning and advanced to second on a balk. On a ground ball by C.J. Pittaro, the first baseman picked up the ball and made an errant throw to the pitcher covering the base, which allowed Kailher to cross the plate.
St. Bonaventure finally cracked the Penn State pitching staff in the fifth inning. Danny Manion singled on the first pitch of the inning for the Bonnies' first hit of the day. Jagger Nucci tripled into left-center to give the Bonnies their first run of the ballgame. Penn State led 2-1 after the fifth.
An RBI base hit by Jack Putney in the seventh tied the ballgame for the Bonnies. Jackson DeJohn reached on a single to right and a walk by Nucci put runners on first and second before the single by Putney.
The Nittany Lions put two men on in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't push a run across and the game remained 2-2 heading into the tenth inning.
Harry brought in Wood to win the game for the Nittany Lions in the bottom of the tenth inning.
Penn State visits Maryland for a Big Ten series this weekend. The Terrapins are ranked 25th in the Baseball America Poll.
Friday's game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's contest is set for 2 p.m. and Sunday's first pitch is set for 1 p.m. All games will be livestreamed on B1G+.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Jay Harry