Hot bats push Nittany Lions to victory: Penn State defeats Pitt 16-8
University Park, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lions wrote another chapter in the Pennsylvania rivalry against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The top programs in the state faced off for a one-game, midweek matchup.
In 2022, the Nittany Lions and Panthers squared up at PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, as Penn State took the victory 19-6 with the help of a 14-run ninth inning.
The March 28 matchup surpassed its 2022 total as the blue and white scored 16 runs on 21 hits. The final at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park was in favor of Penn State, 16-8
The blue and white came to the field on a chilly Tuesday night ready for battle against a historic rival.
The confidence was rolling through the lineup as 10 of 11 Nittany Lions who stepped up to the plate registered at least one hit. The impressive offensive numbers did not stop there as eight players recorded two or more hits at the plate.
The blue and white reached a season-high of 21 hits with a packed crowd in University Park.
“Our guys really did a good job of seeing the ball well and had quality at-bats, rather than outcome at-bats,” Coach Rob Cooper said. “We kept battling… and good teams have to find a way to win.”
Cooper said the victory was similar to the men’s basketball team motto “Gritty not pretty, that’s what it was today.”
Right fielder Billy Gerlott led the blue and white with three base knocks and a trio of runs batted in. The junior from Auburn Pa. raised his batting average to a crisp .300.
Shortstop Jay Harry had a great day on the diamond as he flashed the leather on the defensive side and added three hits.
Harry, a junior, went 3-for-5 with three runs, a double and a walk. The shortstop added his name to the firm list of hitters batting over .300.
Tayven Kelley added three runs batted in, including an insurance run to seal the game in the bottom of the eighth. Kelley said, “being comfortable with myself and sticking to his approach,” helped the team put another win in the column.
As for the pitching staff, freshman Ben DeMell got the nod in the rivalry matchup.
In his second start with Penn State across his chest, the right-hander struggled early. DeMell only completed 1.1 innings of work as he allowed five hits, four earned runs and three walks.
Excluding a three-run eighth inning, the bullpen aided and gave support to DeMell.
Tommy Molsky added 2.0 IP with a strikeout as he was credited with the win.
Right-hander Steven Miller was able to shut the door with a strikeout in the ninth inning.
As for Pitt, it had nine hits and three errors in the loss.
The Panthers starting pitcher Holden Phelps managed 2.0 innings pitched, seven hits and three earned runs to fall to 0-2 on the season. Pitt now sits at .500 on the year with a record of 11-11.
It was a homecoming game for Bellefonte, Pa. native CJ Funk.
Funk, a junior, went 1-for-4 at the dish with a run, hit, run batted in, a double, a walk and a strikeout. Funk filled up the box score with a little bit of every result in his return to the State College area.
Penn State moves to 13-8 on the season as they prepare for a three-game set with Indiana on March 31 to April 2 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Jasper Abrahams is a first-year student studying broadcast Journalism. To contact him, please email jpa5778@psu.edu.
