UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team re-took the lead in the seventh inning and finished out a 4-3 win against Omaha on Saturday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. On Little League Day, the Nittany Lions battled in the late innings to clinch the series with their second win of the weekend.
Penn State improved to 20-21 overall, while Omaha dropped to 19-21 on the year.
Tyler Shingledecker got the start for the Nittany Lions, throwing three scoreless innings. Shingledecker allowed one hit and two walks, while striking out one. Steven Miller entered the game in the fourth, going 2.2 frames. He gave up two runs on three hits and struck out one. Mason Mellott threw one-third of an inning, allowing two hits and a run.
Jordan Morales settled things down with three shutdown innings, including five strikeouts and the only baserunner reaching on a hit-by-pitch, to move to 3-0 on the season.
Mark Timmins made the start for Omaha, going four innings. He allowed three runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Joey Machado threw the final four innings, giving up a run and five hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Penn State recorded four runs on nine hits. Jay Harry collected two hits and drove in two runs, while scoring one. Matt Wood had two base knocks and two RBI while also stealing a base. Kyle Hannon had two singles, while Derek Cease had two hits and scored two runs while also recording a steal.
Wood extended his hit streak to 23 games, tying him with Mike DeRenzo, who had a 23-game streak in 2002. Wood trails only Michael Campo (41, 2000) for the longest hit streak in a season at Penn State. Among his 23-game streak, Wood now has 13 multi-hit games.
Omaha had three runs on six hits. Jack Lombardi had a single and two RBI, while Will Hanafan had a base hit and drove in a run.
After two scoreless innings, Penn State broke out with three runs in the third. Cease led off the inning with a single. After an error on a pickoff attempt, Cease moved to third. Following a hit-by-pitch by Cole Bartels, a single by Harry up the middle allowed Cease to score. A balk moved Harry to second and Bartels to third before a single through the hole on the right side by Wood drove in both runners. Penn State held a 3-0 lead after three.
Omaha tied the game with three runs in the sixth. With two outs, Omaha loaded the bases with a single by Eduardo Rosario and walks by Eddie Satisky and Drew Reetz. Hanafan then sent a groundball to second as everyone was safe on the play and Rosario crossed the plate. Lombardi followed with a single to right. Satisky and Reetz scored before Hanafan was caught in a run down and eventually tagged out by Mellott. The game was even at 3-3.
Penn State re-took the lead in the seventh, thanks to great baserunning by Cease. The freshman reached base with a one-out single to right. He then stole second. On a single to right by Harry, Cease hustled home and beat the ball to the plate. The Nittany Lions took a 4-3 lead.
Sunday's contest is set for an 11 a.m. start on Paper Appreciation Day, inspired by "The Office" and featuring a special first pitch.
The 2022 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Jordan Morales