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)

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