Penn State baseball’s weekend trip to the USA Baseball National Training Center in North Carolina ended with losses to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (1-2), Monmoth University (2-4), and St. John’s University (7-0) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Nittany Lions moved to 3-3 on the season after those three losses.

How It Happened

Game One: Penn State vs. UMBC

Penn State’s only score of the game came when catcher Ryan Sloniger made his way home following a wild pitch by UMBC’s Mitchell Wilson in the bottom of the first inning. UMBC tied the game in the fifth inning on an RBI-sacrifice bunt and scored again on a solo home run in the seventh, leaving the score 2-1. Penn State mounted a small rally towards the end of the game, getting a few men on base, but a groundout ended things at 2-1.

Game Two: Penn State vs. Monmouth

Monmouth didn’t lead at all until scoring five runs in the ninth inning to beat Penn State 9-8. Up 8-4 heading into the ninth, Penn State allowed a two-RBI double and two-run home run in back-to-back at bats. Tied 8-8, Monmoth designated hitter Pete Papcun sent the first pitch he saw over the wall for the go-ahead run. True freshmen Conor Larkin and Mason Mellott pitched the first six innings for the Nittany Lions. Larkin allowed two runs on five hits along with two strikeouts in four innings of work. Mellott also let up two runs, but tallied four strikeouts in just two innings.

Game Three: Penn State vs. St. John’s

The most lopsided of Penn State’s games this weekend, No. 23 St. John’s put the proverbial spanking on the Nittany Lions Sunday morning. The Red Storm beat the Lions 18-4 and remained undefeated this year with seven wins. An eight-run first inning got St. John’s out ahead early and it didn’t slow down. Penn State scored twice in the seventh inning, when Ryan Sloniger doubled to bring in one run and left fielder Braxton Giavedoni hit a sacrifice fly to score third basemen Parker Hendershot.

Player Of The Series

Parker Hendershot | Freshman | Third Baseman

Hendershot had his first career hit with the Nittany Lions over the weekend and should be a big factor moving forward. He went 2-2 in the loss to St. John’s, and converted both hits into scores.

What’s Next?

Penn State opens its spring break trip with three games at UC Santa Barbara March 3-5. It concludes with three games against Grand Canyon University in Phoenix from March 8-10. Penn State’s home opener is set for March 14.