Rutgers University
26-26, 13-14
Penn State
29-20, 15-15
Baseball Wins Series Finale Over Penn State
May 11 | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball won its series finale over Penn State by a score of 9-6 on Sunday afternoon at Bainton Field.
The Scarlet Knights (26-26, 13-14) used seven unanswered runs to complete the comeback over the Nittany Lions (29-18, 15-14) and salvage the series.
For the third straight game, Penn State was able to strike first, hitting a two-run home run in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Rutgers responded right away, as JT Thompson dropped in a two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the first.
The Nittany Lions hung a crooked number in the third, taking advantage of free passes and errors to score three. A sac fly, passed ball and bases-loaded walk would give the visitors a 5-2 advantage.
Peyton Bonds helped RU chip away with an RBI single in the third. Brennan Hyde added another RBI single in the fourth to make it a one-run game. A wild pitch and RBI groundout in the fifth would give Rutgers a 6-5 advantage.
Bonds continued his strong day at the plate with another RBI single in the sixth. A double steal with Bonds and Trevor Cohen would add another to push the advantage to 8-5.
Ultimately, Bonds' strong day at the plate was too much for Penn State, as he launched a solo home run in the eighth to make it 9-5 and giving himself a 4-for-4 day.
While the Nittany Lions were able to scratch a run across in the top of the ninth, Quinn Berglin would come in and get a bases-loaded strikeout to secure the win and earn his fourth save of the season.
Up next for Rutgers is its final series of the regular season, a three-game set with Maryland. Game one is set for 6 p.m. Thursday in College Park.
Notes
- Trevor Cohen recorded his 26th multi-hit game of the season and increased his program record with his 49th hit in conference play.
- Peyton Bonds recorded his 15th multi-hit game of the season, third game with at least three hits and second game with four hits.
- JT Thompson recorded his 13th multi-hit game of the season.
- Rutgers won its seventh straight series finale of the season – all in Big Ten play.
- Peyton Bonds: Hits (4 – tie), Runs (3 – tie)
- Matthew Cruz: Innings Pitched (2.2), Strikeouts (3 – tie), Batters Faced (13)
Follow Rutgers Baseball on Social Media
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rondini, Andrew (4-0)
L: Steele, Anthony (0-1)
S: Berglin, Quinn (4)
Batting:
HR: Molinaro, Bryce 1
RBI: Kling, Paxton 1 ; Molinaro, Bryce 2 ; Jaconski, Joe 1 ; Lucarelli, Mike 1
SF: Jaconski, Joe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kling, Paxton 2 ; Molinaro, Bryce 1 ; Jaconski, Jesse 1 ; Voss, Nate 1 ; Maloney, Matt 1
SB: Weingartner, Ryan 1 ; Jaconski, Jesse 1 ; Cease, Derek 1
Batting:
2B: Doucette, Ty 1 ; Cohen, Trevor 1 ; Carreras, Yomar 1
HR: Bonds, Peyton 1
RBI: Hyde, Brennan 1 ; Bonds, Peyton 3 ; Thompson, JT 2 ; Johnson Jr., RJ 1
SH: Thompson, JT 1 ; Johnson Jr., RJ 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Doucette, Ty 2 ; Cohen, Trevor 2 ; Bonds, Peyton 3 ; Santos, Pablo 1 ; Carreras, Yomar 1
SB: Cohen, Trevor 1 ; Bonds, Peyton 2
CS: Jones, JD 1
