MORGANTOWN — Disaster struck and so did Penn State’s bats, as the Nittany Lions erased a 6-1 deficit and turned it into an 11-6 victory against West Virginia on Tuesday at Medlar Field in University Park, Pa.
Penn State took control of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring seven runs, and it was a pure debacle for the Mountaineers (23-10).
The seven runs came on just three hits. There were also two walks — one coming with the bases loaded — and two batters were hit by a pitch. WVU also committed two errors in the inning.
WVU manager Randy Mazey used four pitchers to get through the inning, with Keegan Allen being charged with three of the runs without recording an out.
In all, only six of the 11 runs scored by Penn State (18-11) were earned.
Thomas Bramley went 3 for 5 and Jay Harry homered for Penn State, which finished with 11 hits.
Up until the sixth, the Mountaineers were cruising, scoring at least one run in every inning but the fifth.
Starter Grant Siegel pitched three innings and allowed just one hit and no runs, before being relieved for in the fourth by Maxx Yehl.
Allen started off the sixth and gave up a single to Bramley, hit Harry and walked Josh Spiegel to load the bases.
Grant Norris doubled off reliever Noah Short to score two runs and Billy Gerlott was hit by another pitch to load the bases again.
Cole Fehrman came in for Short and walked in a run, before he was lifted.
David Hagaman closed out the inning, but not before Penn State scored two more runs on two throwing errors on the same play.
One came from Hagaman, who made a bad throw to first, which allowed Norris to score. WVU right fielder Caleb McNeely picked up the ball and tried to throw a runner out, but instead was charged with another throwing error, allowing another run to score.
Tevin Tucker had three hits, including a double, to lead WVU. Landon Wallace had two RBIs.
It won’t get any easier for the Mountaineers, as they travel to No. 18 Oklahoma State for a three-game series that begins Friday.
