CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Penn State baseball team entered the fifth inning with a 1-1 tie against Virginia on Friday at Disharoon Park, but an eight-run bottom of the fifth helped the Cavaliers to a 10-1 victory. Penn State is 3-5 on the season, while Virginia, ranked fifth by Baseball America, improved to 9-0.
Travis Luensmann made the start on the mound for the Nittany Lions. He went 4.2 innings and struck out five batters. Luensmann allowed nine runs, eight earned, on seven hits. The sophomore held UVA to one run through the first four innings, including retiring 12 straight batters.
Jordan Morales replaced Luensmann with two outs in the fifth and got a strikeout to end the inning. Carson Kohls entered in the sixth and threw one inning, allowing an unearned run and one hit, while striking out one. Tanner Folds pitched a scoreless seventh before Seneca Greogry entered in the eighth and threw a scoreless frame, including a strikeout.
Nate Savino got the start for UVA, going six innings and giving up one run on five hits. He struck out four and walked one. Jake Hodorovich threw the seventh and eighth innings, striking out two. Paul Kosanovich pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Kyle Hannon collected two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Billy Gerlott had an RBI double, while Cole Bartels and Matt Wood each had a base hit.
Alex Tappen recorded two hits, including a two-run homer, and Kyle Teel notched a three-run triple to lead the UVA offense. Casey Saucke had two hits and an RBI.
The Cavaliers got on the board in the bottom of the first. Griff O'Ferrall led off the inning with an infield single. A batter later, O'Ferrall stole second and reached third on an error. He crossed the plate on a ground out to short by Devin Ortiz. Virginia led 1-0 after one.
Penn State tied the game in the top of the second. Hannon lined a 1-0 pitch to left for a double. Gerlott followed with a line drive into the right field corner for a double to bring home Hannon.
Virginia broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth. After the first two batters of the inning reached on a double and a single, a throwing error allowed Tappen to cross the plate. Saucke followed with an RBI single to left to drive in Chris Newell. Three batters later, with the bases loaded, Teel crushed a line drive to the gap in left-center to clear the bases. A sac fly by Ortiz brought home Teel. Two batters later, Tappen hit a two-run homer to left. Virginia led 9-1 after five.
The Cavaliers added a run in the sixth. With runners on first and third, Max Cotier stole second and a throw down allowed Colin Tuft to cross the plate.
The series continues on Saturday with a 1 p.m. first pitch. Sunday's contest will also begin at 1 p.m. Both games will be broadcasted on ACCNX.
Kyle Hannon