UNIVERSITY PARK, PA—Penn State swept Saturday's doubleheader from visiting NJIT, 4-3, in game one and 5-3, in the nightcap at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Both teams will return to action on Sunday for a single game, starting at Noon.

NJIT, which won the last seven-out-of-eight games, entering the Penn State series, moves to an even 7-7 on the season, after winning five consecutive games.

Penn State looks for the series sweep on Sunday, improving to 6-8 on the season.

In game one, Penn State scored single runs in the first and third innings, taking an early 2-0 lead.  NJIT got on the board in the top of the fourth with a single run but the Nittany Lions added a pair of runs on the bottom of the fifth. 

NJIT answered in the top of the sixth, with a pair of runs of their own but the Highlanders were unable to get a run cross the plate in the final three innings.

In the nightcap, Penn State's LHP Taylor Lehman and RHP Rick Mock held the Highlanders to just four hits as the duo combined for the win and save in the 5-3 victory.

LF Jesse Uttendorfer finished the doubleheader 4-for-8 with three runs, including a home run and double.

Game One
Penn State's Justin Hagenman earned the win, improving to 2-1 on the season, pitching 6.0 innings, letting up seven hits, three runs (two earned) while striking out six Highlanders. 

Mason Mellott pitched the eighth and ninth to pick up his third save on the season, allowing just one Highlander hit.

NJIT starting pitcher Sean Lubreski was credited with the loss, falling to 2-1 on the young season.  Lubreski pitched 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs while fanning five Nittany Lions.

Highlander Tommy Derer pitched the final three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four batters.

Senior DH Evan Pietronico drove in all three Highlander runs, going 1-for-3, including a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a two-out single in the top of the sixth.  NJIT SS Justin Etts and LF Jesse Uttendorfer each finished 2-for-4 while freshmen C Paul Franzoni went 2-for-3.

Nittany Lion 1B Shea Sbranti drove in a pair of runs for Penn State, going 2-for-3 while 3B Connor Klemman went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, including a triple in the third.

Penn State struck first in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI single through the right side with bases loaded for a 1-0 lead.  NJIT's Sean Lubreski fanned the first two Nittany Lions on the day.

A one-out rally put the Nittany Lions ahead, 2-0, in the bottom of the third on an RBI triple off the center field wall by Shea Sbranti, scoring Connor Klemann, who reached first on a single down the right field line.

To start the top of the fourth for NJIT, David Marcano walked, Jesse Uttendorder hit a bloop single to center field and a successful sacrifice bunt by Julio Marcano, advanced runners to second and third. A sacrifice fly by Evan Pietronico to right center field, scored David Marcano, cutting into the Nittany Lion lead, 2-1.

Two-run bottom of the fifth for the Nittany Lions, Penn State extends its lead to 4-1 on three hits in the inning for the home team.

In the top of the sixth for the Highlanders, Justin Etts singled to center field to lead off the inning and an infield hit by David Marcano and a throwing error by the Nittany Lions, moved runners over to second and third for NJIT.  A two-out base hit through the right side by Pietronico, drove in a pair of runs, pulling NJIT within one of the Nittany Lions, 4-3.

Both bullpens posted shutouts through the final three innings as the Nittany Lions held on, 4-3.

Game Two
Lehman (2-1) pitched six-plus innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and five walks with three strikeouts.

Mock, who earned his third save of the season, took over for Lehman in the seventh and pitched the final three innings, striking out four and, surrendering a solo home run in the eighth to Uttendorfer.

The Highlanders used five pitchers, as starting pitcher Jared Kacso notched a no-decision, pitching 4.0 innings, letting up six hits and two runs (both earned).

Senior LHP Brian Sondergard (1-2) was tagged with the loss, facing five Nittany Lion batters and allowing two hits and two runs.

NJIT was paced by Uttendorfer and 1B Julio Marcano, who both went 2-for-4. Uttendorfer scored all three runs, doubling and hitting the lone home run in the game, coming in the eighth.

Penn State's Sbranti drove in the first run of game two, with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Ryan Sloniger, who doubled to right field, for a 1-0 advantage

A sacrifice fly to center field by Franzoni, scored the first Highlander run, knotting the game at 1-1.

Penn State took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI double to center field by Curtis Robison.

The Highlanders tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth, with bases loaded and 2B Tom Brady at the plate.  NJIT got one run on Brady's double play ball, driving in Uttendorfer, who reached first on a Nittany Lion error, advanced to second on a single to right field by Julio Marcano, took third on a walk to David Marcano and scored on the double play ball.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Nittany Lions took a 4-2 lead.  Penn State's Braxton Giavedoni started the inning with a triple, then scored on an RBI double to left center by Nadeau, advanced to third on a balk and scored Nadeau on a sacrifice fly to right field by Conlin Hughes on an exceptional diving play by NJIT RF Matthew Cocciadiferro.

NJIT crept back in the bottom of the eighth with a solo shot by Uttendorfer, his first of the season to slim the Nittany Lion lead to one, 4-3.

Penn State got its two-lead cushion back, 5-3, in the bottom of the eigth, after an RBI double to left center by Logan Goodnight, driving in Robison, who reached first on a walk.