PSU Baseball Shut-Out, Drop Third Straight

After being swept over the weekend by Little East Conference rival UMass Dartmouth, the Panthers looked to get back on track Wed. (Apr. 9) against Salem State University. SSU's, Mike Richardson quickly put a stop to that idea. The freshman pitched eight quality innings, holding the Panthers to four hits and no runs.

Patrick Cannon (Concord, N.H.) led off the game with a single, but Richardson quickly made a habit of working himself out of trouble, inducing a double-play and getting out of the first inning unscathed.

Jeff Runnals (Wolfeboro, N.H.) got the start for the Panthers and held the SSU Vikings in check throughout the first two innings. In the bottom of the third, the Panthers began to unravel. A single, sacrifice bunt, two passed balls, and a hit-by-pitch left the Panthers in a 1-0 hole with runners on first and third. A Vikings double pushed the lead to 2-0 before the inning ended.

It would prove to be the only runs the Vikings would need. The Panthers came out in the top of the fourth looking to fight out of the two-run deficit. They put runners on first and second with two singles, but couldn't get the runners home, as Richardson worked his way out of trouble again. The Panthers wouldn't record a hit the rest of the game.

The Vikings added to their lead in the bottom of the inning. With runners on first and third, the Vikings stole second, and on the throw the runner from third advanced home, pushing the lead to 3-0.

The Vikings added another insurance run in the bottom of the seventh to put the score to 4-0, but the lead was never in danger as the Panthers went down 1-2-3 in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. They couldn't make solid contact all day as Richardson induced 11 groundouts and eight fly-outs.

Runnals pitched six innings giving up three runs (all earned) while surrendering six hits and four walks with one strikeout. He also finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate. Cannon and Brian Thompson (Southington, CT) recorded the other two hits for the Panthers.  Zach Cogswell (Allenstown, N.H.) pitched two innings giving up one run (earned) while surrendering two hits and one walk with one strikeout.

The Panthers' record now stands at 11-9. The Panthers will look to end their three-game skid this Saturday (Apr. 12) at LEC rival Eastern Connecticut when they travel for a double-header.