Penn St @ IU, Game 2: 9th inning rally evened the series with PSU, 10-9...

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RHP Connor Foley is on the mound for IU with an ERA of 3.21 in 42.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.10 with an OBA of .139. The batting order is the same as yesterday with the exception that Wiggins is the DH in place of Bode in the No. 9 position. IU is 7-1 in Foley starts.

RHP Jaden Henline is on the mound for PSU with an ERA of 7.71 in 30.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.48 with an OBA of .320.

It's sunny with the temp expected to reach 72 today with the wind WNW at 5 mph and gusts to 10 mph.

The B1G RPI is 6th among conferences and IMO, Nebraska looks like the only team that could possibly get an at-large bid at this time for the Field of 64 with the conference tourney champion being the only other B1G that would get in.

1st inning:

T1st:

Foley put them down in order with two flyouts and an infield pop-up.

B1st:

Mathison singled to lead off. Oliver hit into a DP for two outs. Taylor Kd to end the inning.

End of 1st: IU 0 PSU 0

 

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2nd inning:

T2nd:

Foley walked the leadoff hitter on a full count. Foley Kd the next batter for an out.

Foley then walked another batter on a full count with both runners reaching on full count walks and one out.

A double scored two runs and the walks really hurt Foley.

A groundout moved the runner to 3rd and two outs. Foley then walked another batter on four pitches and runners are at the corners with the top of the order up. Foley is at 37 pitches right now.

A base hit to shallow CF dropped for a single to score another run and PSU had taken a 3-0 lead early in the game just like yesterday.

Foley's pitch count is now over 40 and we just in the 2nd inning.

Another base hit scored another run to make it 4-0 and PSU has batting around in this inning. All three walks in the inning have scored.

There were runners on the corners with two outs.

A three-run homer made it 7-0. A solo homer made it 8-0 and IU was getting embarrassed for the 2nd straight game. Buhr is warming up in the bullpen.

Foley was pulled for RHP Drew Buhr with an ERA of 5.02 in 14.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.61. All 8 runs by Foley were earned with two homers. With the way the Nittany Lions are hitting the ball against our pitching, IU may look at giving up over 20 runs today.

A K finally retired the side.

PSU has hit 9 homers so far int he series and IU has given up 63 homers on the season, and they easily lead the B1G in giving up homers.

B2nd:

It was the middle of the order up with Cerny leading off. Fans are already starting to leave The Bart.

Cerny singled to lead off. MY GOODNESS, IU is down 8-0 and Mitchell was showing bunt on a couple of pitches.

Mitchell was hit by a pitch. Brenczewski walked on a 3-1 count to load the bases and no outs.

Stadler walked on a full count to score their first run with the bases still loaded and no outs.

Pyne doubled to score two runs with runners on 2nd and 3rd and no outs.

Wiggins grounded out scoring Stadler from 3rd and one out with a runner at 3rd.

It was the top of the order up for IU with Mathison up.

Mathison hit a SAC fly to make it 8-5 with two outs and no one on.

Oliver grounded out to end the inning and IU was back in the game. With our best pitcher off to an early shower, do we have the pitching to hold down PSU the rest of the way?

End of 2nd: PSU 8 IU 5

 

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3rd inning:

T3rd:

Buhr faced the 6 thru 8 hitters and he Kd the leadoff hitter. A lineout to LF resulted in the 2nd out.

The next batter singled to put a runner on with two outs. A K retired the side.

B3rd:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up with Taylor leading off. PSU brought in RHP Mason Horwat with an ERA of 6.14 in 22.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.55.

Taylor singled, Cerny hit into a DP and it was the 2nd DP that IU has hit in to in the early innings. Mitchell Kd to end the inning.

End of 3rd: PSU 8 IU 5

 

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4th inning:

T4th:

Buhr was back out there to face the dangerous top of the order.

Buhr Kd the first two batters and then got a groundout to put them down in order.

B4th:

It was the 6 thru 8 hitters up with Brenczewski leading off. Brenczewski flied out for the first out.

Stadler walked on four pitches to put a runner on with one out.

Pyne Kd and Wiggins singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs.

We were at the top of the order with Mathison up. A line drive to 2B ended the inning with two on.

End of 4th: PSU 8 IU 5

 

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5th inning:

T5th:

It was the 4 thru 6 hitters up with Buhr still out there. After going 3-0 on the leadoff hitter, he Kd him swinging for the first out.

Buhr then gave up a single to put a runner on and one out. Buhr went full on the next batter before walking him to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out.

A DP retired the side. Buhr had really calmed things down for IU although he had a few high pitch counts in that inning.

B5th:

It's the 2 thru 4 hitters up with Oliver leading off. IU went down in order.

End of 5th: PSU 8 IU 5

 

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6th inning:

T6th:

Buhr was back out there to face the 8 thru 1 hitters. Buhr Kd the leadoff hitter.

A double put a runner in scoring position with one out, and the top of the order up.

Buhr then got a big K for the 2nd out with the runner still at 2nd. A flyout retired the side.

B6th:

It was the 5 thru 7 hitters up and IU went down in order.

End of 6th: PSU 8 IU 5

 

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7th inning:

T7th:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up and IU brought in RHP Jacob Vogel with an ERA of 0.96 in 9.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.29.

The leadoff hitter singled off the wall in RF. Vogel then got a flyout for the first out.

A passed ball allowed the runner to advance to 2nd and one out.

A groundout moved the runner to 3rd and two outs. Vogel then got a K to retire the side.

B7th:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Pyne leading off.

Pyne singled and then Wiggins clubbed a no-doubt big two-run homer with no outs to make it 8-7.

It was the top of the order up for IU and PSU went to the bullpen to bring in LHP Anthony Steele with an ERA of 5.89 in 18.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.42.

Mathison hit a little pop up to the SS for the 1st out. Oliver Kd and Taylor flied out to end the inning.

End of 7th: PSU 8 IU 7

 

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8th inning:

T8th:

It was the bottom of the order up for PSU and IU went to the bullpen to bring in RHP Brayden Risedorph with an ERA of 8.54 in 26.1 with a WHIP of 1.52. Risedorph got a good play from Cerny to throw out the leadoff batter at 1st.

Risedorph then walked a batter on a full count to put a runner on and one out with the No. 9 hitter up.

A flyout got the 2nd out with the top of the order up and a runner at 1st.

A single put runners on the corners and two outs. A single gave PSU a two-run advantage at 9-7 with runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs. Risedorph then got a K to retire the side after giving up that critical run.

B8th:

It's the middle of the order up with Cerny leading off.

Cerny hit a home run off the top of the wall with the ball coming back on the field. The ump ruled a homer and there was no replay today.

Without a replay review, the umps overturned the call and put Cerny at 2nd on a double by their ruling.

Mitchell Kd looking for the first out. Brenczewski then Kd for two outs and Cerny still at 2nd.

Stadler flied out to the warning track in center to end the inning.

End of 8th: PSU 9 IU 7

 

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9th inning:

T9th:

Risedorph was back out there to face the bottom of the order.

Risedorph put them down in order to retire the side.

B9th:

If IU was to survive this game, the 8 thru 1 hitters were going to have to do it with Pyne leading off.

Pyne Kd looking for the first out.

Wiggins was hit by a pitch to put the tying run at the plate in Mathison with one out.

Mathison fouled out for two outs and Oliver up. Oliver walked on a full count to put the tying run on base and the winning run at the plate in Taylor.

Taylor singled to pull within one run with runners on the corners and Cerny up with two outs.

PSU went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Will Perkowski with an ERA of 11.37 in 12.2 IP and a WHIP of 2.05, and he face Cerny with two outs.

Cerny tied the game at 9-all with a single with Taylor taking 3rd and runners on the corners with two outs.

With Mitchell at the plate, Taylor scored on a WP to win the game for IU which looked improbable early on the way PSU was scoring runs in the series.

Final: IU 10 PSU 9

 

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Things looked bleak for IU early on with our best pitcher in Foley unable to get past 1.2 IP and giving up 8 earned runs in the 2nd which included control problems and two homers in the inning. The way PSU had been hitting the ball in the series and they had already hit two homers in the 2nd, I thought IU was looking at giving up 20+ runs in the game. Good pitching out of the bullpen held the Nittany Lions to just one run over the rest of the game. PSU's starter also had control problems and lasted just 2.0 IP with IU getting five runs in the bottom of the 2nd.

For as bad as the 2nd inning was for both teams, both bullpens combined to pitch four straight innings of scoreless ball after the 2nd until IU broke through for two runs in the 7th.

There was controversy in the 8th inning when Cerny hit what was initially ruled a homer by the ump when the ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back onto the field. After a delay and with there being no replay, the umps reversed the call and put Cerny at 2nd base where he ended up being stranded there. The call looked huge at the time with PSU up by two runs.

IU was outhit 11 to 10, and IU was 10 for 33 for a team average of .303, while PSU was 11 for 37 for .297. IU had four players with multiple hits and the bottom of the order which had been struggling of late, had two players with multiple hits. IU struck out 7 times in the game.

Cerny - 3 for 5 with a double and 1 RBI.

Wiggins - 2 for 3 with a homer and 3 RBIs.

Pyne - 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBIs.

Taylor - 2 for 5 with 1 RBI.

No errors charged to either team.

Foley had a very efficient 1st inning in putting them down in order and then the roof fell in during the 2nd inning with Foley having his worst game of the season and an early exit from the game. Buhr and Vogel both pitched great in holding down PSU to give IU a chance in the game. Risedorph gave up a big run in the 8th that gave PSU a two-run cushion that really looked big, especially with Cerny's homer being reversed in the bottom of the 8th. Risedorph did pitch well in the top of 9th putting them down in order to set up the 9th inning heroics by IU.

Foley - 1.2 IP, 5 hits to include a double and 2 homers with 8 earned runs, 1 K, and 3 BBs.

Buhr - 4.1 IP, 3 hits to include a double and no earned runs, 8 Ks, and 1 BB.

Vogel - 1.0 IP, 1 hit and no earned runs, 1 K, and no BBs.

Risedorph (W) - 2.0 IP, 2 hits and 1 earned run, 2 Ks, and 1 BB.

It may be Phillips or Tonghini on the mound to start tomorrow's rubber match.

 

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All of the Saturday action in the B1G is over and here are the final scores;

G1: Michigan 8 Minn 1 G2: Minn 8 Michigan 3

Iowa 3 OSU 2

NW 11 Maryland 1

Purdue 14 MSU 0

Neb 16 Rutgers 1

Illinois 16 N. Illinois 5