Penn State Walk-off Stuns Brown Baseball 7-6

Friday, March 10

Cary, N.C.

2 p.m.

Brown University

0-8

Penn State

8-4

Brown

Penn State

Penn State Walk-off Stuns Brown Baseball 7-6

3/10/2023 6:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

CARY, N.C. – A three-run bottom of the ninth inning by Penn State stunned the Brown baseball team by a score of 7-6 on Friday afternoon in the opening game of a four-game set at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Each team finished with eight hits apiece. Senior Ryan Marra hit a pair of solo home runs, senior Jacob Burley added a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and junior Reece Rappoli added two hits.

Starter Tobey McDonough allowed three earned runs over 4.1 innings, and freshman Carter Rasmussen retired the first 11 batters he faced in relief.

McDonough allowed pair of hits in a scoreless first inning, then tossed three consecutive hitless innings, including retiring the side in order in the second and fourth innings.

Brown jumped in front with three runs in the top of the fourth. Marra led off the fourth inning by crushing a 2-0 fastball over the right-center field wall for his first home run of the season to give the Bears the lead. After a hit-by-pitch, a single and walk loaded the bases with nobody out, Ray Sass knocked in a run with a ground ball, and Derian Morphew followed with a single to right field to make it 3-0.

RBI knock for Morphew plates Brasher and it's now 3-0 Bears in the fourth! pic.twitter.com/FTkMKlaTP8
— Brown Baseball (@BrownU_Baseball) March 10, 2023

PSU came back with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. After a leadoff walk and a throwing error, Thomas Bramley lined a triple to the right center field wall, then scored one batter later on a single to knot the score 3-3. An RBI single later in the inning gave the Nittany Lions their first lead of the game.

The Bears regained the lead in the top of the seventh when Marra and Burley tagged back-to-back home runs to put Brown back in front. Brown added to the lead in the ninth inning thanks to a big leadoff triple to center field by Rappoli, and a sac fly by Burley to push the lead to 6-4.

HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!!!

Marra ties it up with his second of the day!#EverTrue pic.twitter.com/E6hYCbnBVG
— Brown Baseball (@BrownU_Baseball) March 10, 2023

Back-to-back and the Bears are back in front!

Burley goes yard for the 2nd time this season!! pic.twitter.com/kl1YX1D7BZ
— Brown Baseball (@BrownU_Baseball) March 10, 2023

Rasmussen dominated after coming in the game in the fifth by promptly picking a runner off, then retiring the first 11 batters he faced with five strikeouts.

Down to their last three outs, PSU rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth, ending on a walk-off error. The rally started with a leadoff home run and back-to-back doubles to tie the score. Following a groundout and intentional walk, the Bears earned a force out at second base on a ground ball, but the return throw to first was ruled safe on a close play to put men at the corners and move the winning run to third. PSU walked it off one batter later on a ground ball into the hole between first and second.

UP NEXT
Both teams will return to the diamond to continue their four-game series on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader starting at noon.

Gallery: (3-10-2023) Baseball vs. Penn State, 3/10/2023

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