Baseball: Ohio State Completes Sweep of Penn State

Story posted April 15, 2018 in CommRadio, Sports by Christian Katt

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – On a beautiful day for baseball in Happy Valley, Ohio State (24-10) swept a doubleheader against Penn State (7-22), which also completed the sweep of their three-game series. In the first game of the doubleheader, the bats struggled for the Nittany Lions. However, in the second game, Ohio State’s potent offense proved to be the demise of this struggling Penn State baseball team.

Penn State head coach Rob Cooper spoke bluntly about his team’s performance today. “This was not a good day for us," Cooper said.

In the first game, Ohio State defeated Penn State by the score of 5-1. Penn State just couldn’t get a hit when it mattered in order to overcome the five-run deficit led by a four-run fourth inning by the Buckeyes. The damage was done by the bottom of the lineup for Ohio State. The seven, eight and nine batters of the OSU order combined to go six-for-twelve with four runs and two RBIs.

Penn State starting pitcher Taylor Lehman (2-5) was doing well through the first three frames, only allowing one unearned run on what some would describe as a little league homerun with Jacob Barnwell scoring on a pair of throwing errors on what could have just been a single.

The following inning, however, Lehman gave up back-to-back homeruns to Brady Cherry and Dillon Dingler. The combination of sloppy defense and timely hitting by the Buckeyes knocked Lehman out the game with Ohio State with a 5-0 lead.

Ohio State’s Ryan Feltner gave a solid six scoreless innings of bend-not-break pitching as he took advantage of a pair of double plays and a very unopportunistic Penn State offense. Feltner struck out five, surrendered five hits and walked three.

The Nittany Lions were able to get on the board in the eighth-inning off a Braxton Giavedoni RBI single that scored Ryan Sloniger after his lead off triple. This proved to be the only run of the day for Penn State as they left nine runners on base.

In game two, Ohio State defeated Penn State by the score of 19-8. Ohio State was dominant throughout, scoring in all but two innings which included four separate innings in which they scored three or more runs.

Penn State’s Dante Biasi (1-5) had a disaster of a first inning. Biasi gave up three consecutive hits to plate two runs to start the game. After drawing a ground out and a foul out, Biasi surrendered a two-run homerun to Tyler Cowles, when he absolutely crushed the 3-2 pitch high and deep over the left-field wall.

After a bounce back inning in the second, Biasi continued to struggle by loading the bases with one out. Coach Rob Cooper opted to take Biasi out of the game in favor of Eric Mock. All three of Biasi’s baserunners ended up scoring. Biasi’s final line ended up being two and one-third innings, seven runs, five hits and two walks.

Ohio State’s Adam Niemeyer was able to give the Buckeye’s five innings of work despite some struggles in the second and third innings. Niemeyer recovered after giving up five runs to finish strong with help from plentiful run support from the Ohio State lineup.

The majority of Penn State offense came from the bats of both Shea Sbranti and Parker Hendershot. Sbranti went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run into the bleachers in right field. Hendershot went 3-for-4 with a two RBI single up the middle.

In the top of the fourth, Eric Mock gave up a two-run home run to Conner Pohl and afterwards hit two straight batters. The second of which was Tyler Cowles, who was hit on a 3-0 count after three-straight inside pitches that nearly hit him. After Mock hit Cowles, Ohio State’s dugout began to empty onto the field with several players needing to be held back. The incident was resolved peacefully as clearer heads prevailed and Eric Mock was ejected.

In regards to the conflict in the fourth inning, Penn State Coach Rob Cooper stated, “If you’re upset another team is hitting homeruns, get them out," Cooper said. “I am not saying by any means that Eric Mock threw at the guy”.

Several Ohio State players had impressive days at the plate. Cowles went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, half of which came from a two-run homerun in the first inning. Both Dominic Canzone and Kobie Foppe both contributed with two RBIs a piece.

Penn State looks to break this eleven-game losing streak as they face Mount St. Mary’s this Tuesday at Medlar Field.

 

 

Christian Katt is a sophomore majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact him, email cjk5620@psu.edu.