Penn State swept by Michigan in Big Ten opener

State College — After a solid start to the season, the Nittany Lions baseball team hit the road to open conference play on the road in Ann Arbor. However, the Big Ten slate got off to a sour note for Penn State baseball. The Lions suffered a clean sweep to the Michigan baseball team and were really only competitive in one game.

Michigan baseball runs away with game one

The Nittany Lions struck first with a home run by Jay Harry. The Nittany Lions would extend the lead to 2-0 in the third inning off another home run, this time from Johnny Piacentino. Michigan would answer in the bottom half of that inning with an RBI single to make it 2-1.

The Wolverines then exploded for a monster fourth inning. First, a solo home run tied the game. An RBI single gave Michigan baseball its first lead, 3-2. The Wolverines would score six more runs from a sacrifice fly, double, a wild pitch, and a two-run homer to exit the fourth inning with a 9-2 advantage. 

The onslaught continued for Michigan baseball. The Wolverines added four more runs to increase the lead to 13-2. The Lions added two runs in the eighth inning from a wild pitch and a Thomas Bramley double, but it wouldn’t stop the bleeding. Penn State baseball fell by a score of 13-4.

Wolverines cruise again

Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, this game went a lot like the last. Michigan would get on the board first from an RBI single to give them an early lead. And the scoring continued from there. Michigan baseball rounded out the first inning with a commanding 4-0 lead. The Wolverines added another run in the third to increase the margin to five.

Penn State baseball scored its first run in the fourth inning when third baseman Grant Norris hit a single to second base that drove home Kyle Hannon and reduced the lead to 5-1. But the Wolverines would answer with a run from a single, increasing the lead again to 6-1.

Johnny Piacentino hit an RBI single of his own in the fifth inning, scoring Hannon and reducing the lead to 6-2. But Michigan added five runs in a monster eighth inning from a single that scored two runners and a double that cleared the bases to make the score 11-2. A groundout in the seventh inning scored a runner from a fielder’s choice and increased the Wolverine’s lead to 12-2.

The Nittany Lions scored only one more run in the game when Billy Gerlott tripled to right field in the eighth inning. But, much like the first matchup, this game was all Michigan from start to finish.

Close, but no cigar for the Lions

This game ended much closer but still didn’t fall in the Nittany Lions’ favor. Michigan again struck first, as the Wolverines scored two runs in the third inning from a fielder’s choice on a groundout and an RBI single to go up 2-0.

No scoring occurred until the sixth inning when Penn State’s Thomas Bramley doubled to left center field to score Tayven Kelley and cut the Michigan lead to 2-1.

But Michigan sealed the win in the eighth inning by adding an RBI off a single. The final score ended 3-1 and capped off the Wolverines’ series sweep of the Nittany Lions.

What’s next for Penn State baseball

Penn State baseball looks to bounce back when they play in the Keystone Rivalry against the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday at home.

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