Penn State baseball wins its first series of the season, 2-1, against Rutgers

For the first time all season, Penn State baseball found itself on the winning end of a series as it took two of three from Rutgers in Piscataway to secure the weekend series.

The Nittany Lions allowed only one run all series up until the eighth inning of Game 3 and defeated the Scarlet Knights by scores of 1-0 and 5-1, but lost 6-4 in the final game. They’ve had difficulty all year controlling the mound and limiting the opposition’s offense, but were able to halt Rutgers’ momentum for the most part after it came off a 26-run series with Purdue.

On Friday, Bailey Dees took the mound for Penn State and went six resilient innings in which he struck out three batters and allowed seven hits, but kept Rutgers off the board completely and picked up his second win this season.

Relief pitchers Tyler Shingledecker, Ralph Gambino and Steven Miller closed the game out for the Nittany Lions, while Rutgers starter Harry Rutkowski also had a strong performance and picked up the loss after going eight innings and allowing one earned run on four hits.

The only scoring in the game came in the seventh inning when third baseman Justin Williams blasted a home run to center field and it’s all Penn State needed as it tookGame 1, 1-0.

Game 2 took place on Saturday as starter Conor Larkin was able to notch his first win all season after pitching six innings, allowing no runs on only three hits while striking out seven batters.

The notoriously slow-starting Nittany Lions were able to get ahead early on the scoreboard as Williams picked up right where he left off in Game 1 by singling through the right side in the first inning to put his team ahead 2-0 after Tayven Kelley and Gavin Homer previously reached base. Catcher Matt Wood added to the lead by doubling to right center and scoring Williams as Penn State led by three after the opening frame.

It added two insurance runs in the third and sixth innings after Cole Bartels hit a sac-fly to right field that scored Johnny Piacentino from third base, and Jay Harry singled to center field that scored Bartels after he hit a lead off double.

The Scarlet Knights only run came in the seventh inning when first baseman Jordan Sweeney hit a home run to left field for his first of the year, but the team only generated five hits in comparison to Penn State’s 13. Starter Ben Wereski was given the loss as he allowed four earned runs on seven hits through three innings.

Sunday marked the third and final game of the series between the two teams and the Nittany Lions - like game two - wasted no time in jumping out to a lead after a pair of home runs from Homer and Williams in the first inning to put them up 2-0.

Penn State added another run in the third inning as Piacentino homered to left center, and an additional run in the fifth inning after Williams hit a sac-fly that scored Kelley from third as it led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.

Up until that point, everything was smooth sailing for the Nittany Lions as starter Kyle Virbitsky was cruising on the mound having pitched seven innings allowing only five hits. But he found himself in a jam after surrendering two singles and a walk with only one out, and was replaced very briefly by Shingeldecker who proceeded to walk the first batter he faced and the Scarlet Knights found themselves down only three, 4-1.

The usually very-sturdy Mason Mellott was thrown into the game with the bases loaded and walked the first batter he faced, allowing Rutgers to be within two runs. He then gave up a grand-slam to Sweeney as Penn State faced a deficit for the first time all series, trailing 6-4 heading into the final frame.

Rutgers relief pitcher Brian Fitzpatrick retired the side 1-2-3 and picked up the victory, while Mellott picked up his first loss of the season. The Scarlet Knights led the game 8-7 in hits.

With the two victories, the Nittany Lions improved to 6-11 and will now travel to East Lansing to face Michigan State for a two-game series this upcoming weekend starting at 3 p.m. Friday.