Bucknell University
Penn State
Baseball Falls Twice at Penn State
3/22/2014 5:56:00 PM | Baseball
Game 1: Penn State 7, Bucknell 2
Game 2: Penn State 4, Bucknell 3
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Bucknell and Penn State are squaring off in a home-and-home four-game series this weekend. The first half of the series was Saturday at Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and the Nittany Lions came away with wins by 7-2 and 4-3 scores. The two teams will play another doubleheader Sunday at Bucknell's Depew Field.
Anthony Gingerelli was 3-for-7 with one run scored and one RBI to lead the balanced Bison offense in the doubleheader, while Bucknell's relievers – Max Kra, Tom Hrabchak and Mike Castellani – were not charged with a run in 3.0 innings.
Penn State (9-12) extended its winning streak to four games by totaling 24 hits in the two games. Greg Guers, Taylor Skerpon and Zach Ell each posted three hits in game one with Guers driving in three runs. The top two hitters in the Nittany Lion lineup – Steve Snyder and James Coates – each registered two hits in game two.
Bucknell (7-10-1) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of game one when Rob Krentzman and Gingerelli scored on a passed ball third strike. However, Penn State answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame. It then scored three in the third and two more in the sixth to build its 7-2 advantage.
Bryson Hough (2-3) got the start on the mound in the opener for the Bison and logged 5.2 innings. He yielded 12 hits and was charged with all seven runs (six earned), but walked just one while striking out two. Kra relieved him and pitched the final 2.1 innings, recording three strikeouts and allowing three hits.
T.J. Jann (1-4) earned his first win of the year for Penn State as he pitched the first five innings. He struck out six and walked three and allowed just the two unearned runs in the second. Ian Parvin struck out seven and allowed just one baserunner over the final four innings to post his first save of the campaign.
The Bison again took an early lead in game two, plating the first run in the top of the first. Corey Furman reached on a one-out single to center and later scored on a two-out single by Sam Clark.
Penn State's first three hitters in the bottom of the first reached on infield singles and the Nittany Lions tied the game on a bases-loaded sac bunt by Skerpon.
Three of Penn State's first five hitters in the second singled with Coates driving in the go-ahead run with a two-out single to right.
The Nittany Lions tacked on two unearned runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead just over halfway through the seven-inning affair.
Bucknell trimmed its deficit to one run with two in the sixth. Clark reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning and Jon Mayer followed with a walk. A one-out ground out by Danny Rafferty pushed Clark home, while a two-out single by Gingerelli drove home Mayer. Penn State reliever Jack Anderson, who entered the game to begin the sixth, then settled down and retired the final four hitters he faced to earn his second save of the year.
Dan Weigel (0-4) started game two for Bucknell and pitched into the sixth inning. He allowed just eight hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out three. Hrabchak and Castellani got the final two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
Tim Dunn (1-1) got the win for Penn State by pitching 5.0 innings and allowing five hits and one run before giving way to Anderson.
Sunday's doubleheader at Depew Field can be heard on 90.5 WVBU FM and BucknellBison.com.
