UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team topped Purdue, 7-5, in the rubber match of the weekend Big Ten series on Saturday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions took advantage of strong start by Luensmann and extra-base hits to overcome a late Purdue rally.
With the victory, Penn State improves to a 14-19 overall record and a 5-7 conference record, while Purdue falls to 22-9 and 4-6 in Big Ten play.
Travis Luensmann made his seventh start of the year for the Nittany Lions, going six innings with six strikeouts. The sophomore gave up two unearned runs off four hits and a walk. Luensmann tied his longest outing of the year with the six innings and threw five scoreless frames to finish his start.
In the seventh, the trio of Steven Miller, Jordan Morales and Mason Mellott each got one out in the inning. Miller gave up two runs off two hits, Morales gave up one run off three hits and collected a strikeout, and Mellott closed out the inning with a strikeout.
Mellott continued to close the final two innings of the game, picking up the save, after striking out three more batters without giving up a hit.
For Purdue, Troy Wansing started on the mound and pitched 4.1 innings with six strikeouts. He gave up four runs on six hits and a walk. In relief, four pitchers from the Purdue bullpen combined to close out the final 3.2 innings with five strikeouts. The quartet gave up three runs off six hits.
The Nittany Lions offense produced seven runs on 12 hits, led by a career night from Josh Spiegel. The junior went four-for-five with a double and four RBI. Spiegel set career highs for hits and RBI.
Spiegel became the first Nittany Lion with four hits in a game since Johnny Piacentino against Michigan State on May 1, 2021.
Jay Harry recorded a triple and a clutch solo home run, his fourth of the season. Cole Bartels had two hits and two runs, while Matt Wood had a hit, a run and an RBI.
Cam Thompson and Evan Albrecht led the Purdue offense with two hits each. Thompson went two-for-four with two RBIs and a double. Mike Bolton Jr. added on two runs and hit a double. Curtis Washington Jr. finished with a hit and two runs.
Purdue struck first with two runs in the top of the first. With runners on second and third, a sac fly by Thompson scored Washington from third. Paul Toetz then scored on a passed ball to put Purdue ahead, 2-0.
Penn State answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Bartels hit the first pitch he saw up the middle for a single. Wood then drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Spiegel lined a hit the other way into the corner for a double to plate Bartels and Wood and even the game at 2-2.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the fifth. Tyson Cooper singled on a ground ball to right to begin the frame. Bartels followed with a soft line drive to center for a single. Wood moved the runners up with a sac bunt before Spiegel grounded a ball through the middle to bring home both Cooper and Wood. Penn State led 4-2 after five.
Penn state added two more runs in the sixth. With one out, Tayven Kelley singled to center and moved up to second on an error. Two straight balks allowed Kelley to score. Billy Gerlott then drew a walk and stole second. Two batters later, Wood singled to right to bring home Gerlott. Penn State held a 6-2 lead through six innings.
Purdue cut its deficit to one in the top of the seventh. With runners on the corners, a balk allowed Bolton to score from third after reaching on a double. CJ Valdez then singled to left to drive in Washington from second. Thompson followed with a double to left that drove in Valdez. Penn State led 6-5 going into the bottom seventh.
The Nittany Lions got a much-needed insurance run to begin the inning as Harry launched a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right to extend PSU's lead to 7-5.
The blue and white host Mount St. Mary's on Wednesday, April 20 at 6 p.m.
Penn State then travels to Minnesota for a three-game Big Ten series on April 22-24.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Travis Luensmann