Despite holding a lead in the last two games over No. 19 Oregon, Penn State couldn’t close out the wins late and lost two backbreaking contests to the Ducks. However, the Nittany Lions had a chance to close out the series strong and avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Oregon took the lead first and never looked back, securing the series sweep as the Ducks shutout Penn State in a 5-0 win.
Unlike Friday and Saturday’s games, the blue and white’s offense was shut down. Despite left fielder Jayden Davis and designated hitter Michael Anderson delivering back-to-back leadoff singles, left-hander Miles Gosztola recorded two straight strikeouts and a groundball out to end the early threat.
Oregon’s offense also started slowly as right-hander Isaiah Shayter cruised through the Ducks’ lineup. The freshman walked Ryan Cooney with two outs and Drew Smith poked a perfect bunt hit up the third base line, but Shayter struck out Angel Laya to close out the scoreless first frame.
Both squads produced hits in the second, yet neither could open the scoring by plating them. Center fielder Maddox McDonald knocked a one-out single to left center, but was caught stealing for the third out.
Shayter faced some pressure when Burke-Lee Mabeus tugged a one-out double down the left field line. However, the young pitcher stayed poised on the mound and powered a pitch past Naulivou Lauaki Jr. for his second strikeout. Shayter threw a wild pitch and Mabeus advanced to third, but he struck out Elijah Cook for the huge third out.
There was not much offense until the fourth inning when Oregon finally cracked open the scoring and scored three runs. Smith opened the frame with a bang and smothered a solo dinger to left field to put the Ducks ahead 1-0.
Laya followed with a base knock through the left side and Shayter started to lose his control. Maddox Molony drew a four-pitch walk and Mabeus drilled an RBI double to left and extended Oregon’s lead to 2-0. The bleeding didn’t stop there as Lauaki lifted a sacrifice fly to right and the Nittany Lions found themselves in a 3-0 hole.
Coach Mike Gambino brought in right-hander Kyle Emmons after Shayter recorded a pivotal second out. The junior stopped the damage and swiftly retired the next Duck, Oregon pounced on him in the fifth.
Smith sparked a two-out rally by powering a double that tugged the right field line, and Laya drove Smith in off an RBI single shot up the middle to make Oregon’s lead 4-0. While Gosztola continued shutting down the Nittany Lions, the Ducks’ bats went right back to work in the sixth and added onto their lead.
Following Gambino’s ejection, Mabeus stayed hot and smashed a leadoff homer to right and pulled Oregon ahead further, 5-0. Though Mason Horwat and Dimond Loosli strung together a few scoreless innings, Penn State’s offense never woke up.
Gosztola surrendered just three hits and three walks, while totaling seven strikeouts over 6.1 innings. The Nittany Lions finished with just five hits and four walks as the Ducks’ pitching staff had their way all game.
Up Next
Penn State returns home to Happy Valley and hosts No. 15 West Virginia for its fourth Dollar Dog Night at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
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The Nittany Lions continued their series out west against No. 19 Oregon following a close ba…
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