UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team scored in each of the last six innings to earn a 15-3 win over Delaware State on Saturday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The game was called in the seventh inning due to the 10-run rule. The Nittany Lions swept the series and moved to 17-11 overall. Penn State outscored the Hornets, 31-7, over the three-game series.
Daniel Ouderkirk made his eighth start for the Nittany Lions. He threw five innings, and into the sixth, and picked up his second win of the season. He recorded four strikeouts and allowed three runs on four hits. He did not allow a run through the first five innings of his outing.
Anthony Steele threw two shutout innings in relief for Penn State. He recorded three strikeouts and gave up no hits or runs.
Peter Carreca got the start for Delaware State. He pitched three innings and allowed five runs on six hits. Brandon Hatch pitched one inning and allowed two runs on two hits. Hunter Thompson, Tanner Morren, Evan Harris, and Alex Bauer all combined to finish the game.
Penn State registered 15 hits. Tayven Kelley had a standout performance, going three-for-three at the plate and registering two triples, a double, three runs, and three RBI. Grant Norris added three runs and two hits, including an RBI double. Tyson Cooper recorded two runs, two RBI, and two hits, including a double. Thomas Bramley drove in three runs, while Kyle Hannon tripled and scored.
Delaware State collected four hits. Trey Paige recorded an RBI single and scored a run. Evan Bouldin posted two hits and a run.
The Nittany Lions got the bats going in the second. With one out, Norris singled to left and stole second. After Billy Gerlott reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners, a double steal play resulted in Gerlott at second and Norris scoring. Kelley lined a double to the right-center gap to plate Gerlott and extend the lead to 2-0.
Penn State added three runs in the third. Hannon started the inning with a triple to left-center. Bramley drove in Hannon with a line-drive single to right. Two batters later, Norris smacked a fly ball to left-center, which bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double and scored Bramley. Marsh ripped a single to center to allow Norris to score and push the lead to 5-0.
The blue and white scored two runs in the fourth. Penn State again started the inning with a triple, this time by Kelley to the gap in right-center. Cooper floated a line drive into left-center and hustled to second for a double, while Kelley scored. Two batters later, Bramley lifted a fly ball to left for a sac fly to drive in Cooper. Penn State led 7-0 through four innings.
Penn State plated four runs in the fifth. Norris started the inning with a walk before Marsh singled to right. A wild pitch moved the runners up a base. CJ Pittaro, a pinch-hitter, chopped a ground ball to the right side, over the first baseman, to score Norris. Kelley ripped his second triple of the day, this time to left-center, to bring home Marsh and Pittaro. Later in the frame, Bramley dropped another single into right to score Kelley. The Nittany Lions held a 11-0 advantage through five.
Delaware State got on the board with three runs in the sixth. Nick Gnardellis was hit by a pitch to start the frame. Evan Bouldin hit a grounder through the left side to put runners at first and second. Paige followed with a single to right to drive in Gnardellis. Krew Bouldin and Chris Amparo worked back-to-back walks with Amparo's allowing Evan Bouldin to score. A wild pitch brought home Paige to cut the DSU deficit to 11-3.
Penn State answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Spiegel led off the inning with a walk and moved up two bases on a wild pitch. A single up the middle by Steele drove home Spiegel. Following a walk by Kelley, Cooper singled through the left side to drive in Steele. A wild pitch moved the runners up to second and third. Derek Cease cleared the bases with a double to the left-center gap to score both runs and put Penn State ahead, 15-3.
The Nittany Lions conclude their homestand against No. 24 West Virginia on Tuesday, April 11. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. with a broadcast on B1G+. Every Tuesday home game is Dollar Dog Night ($1 hot dogs). Tuesday is also Military Appreciation Day with free admission for anyone with a valid military ID.
Penn State travels to Purdue to resume Big Ten action, beginning on Friday, April 14.
Season and single game tickets for the 2023 Penn State baseball season are available here. Season tickets are $75 for adults and free for youth (ages 12 and under).
The 2023 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Tayven Kelley