TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team had their memorable season come to an end with a 3-2 loss to Wooster in the elimination game of the NCAA Division III Championships hosted by Rose-Hulman on Thursday afternoon.
The Lions (30-12) held a 12-7 advantage in hits, but did not get on the scoreboard until the ninth inning and fell a run short. Vinny Rice (Harmony, PA/Seneca Valley) led with three hits, including a two-run RBI single in the bottom of ninth with two outs.
Dante DeSantis (DuBois, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) pitched well for Behrend, giving up just one earned run on five hits in six and one third innings. The junior threw 59 strikes in 95 pitches, while striking out four.
The Fighting Scots plated a run in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead.
Hurler Steven Hagen went the distance for Wooster and did not allow a run until the final frame.
In the decisive ninth inning, Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) singled to left field, before the Lions had to fly outs to set up the last out. Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's) doubled down the left-field line and Rice had a hit to right center to send in Bitter and Kragnes from second and third base.
Evan Bukowski (Washington, PA/Trinity) joined Rice with three hits on the day, while Kragnes and John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) added a pair of hits.