Gardner-Webb (1-2) went down in order in the bottom of the 10th to fall victim to a late-inning rally by the Nittany Lions (2-1) for the second time in as many days.

The Runnin' Bulldogs had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with no outs, but couldn't get a run across. Scott Coleman led off with a single and moved to third on a hit-and-run single through the right side from Henry Rundio. Penn State chose to intentionally walk Scott Johnson to pack the sacks.

The rally was dampened on the ensuing at bat, as Tyler Best slapped a hot shot at first baseman J.J. White, who made the play and turned an untimely 3-2-3 double play to cut down Coleman at the plate. Another intentional walk to pinch hitter Will Canady loaded the bases again, but reliever Jack Anderson struck out Matt Simmons on three pitches to send the game to extra innings.

The Nittany Lions got a sharp leadoff single from Jim Haley to get started in the 10th, which was cut off nicely by the Gardner-Webb outfield in left center to keep him at first base. Haley moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and Steve Snyder drew a walk to put two men on with one away.

Disaster struck for Gardner-Webb on the next play. Greg Guers hit a grounder to second base that was fielded nicely Johnson and flipped to the bag for a force out, but the relay throw to first skipped away - allowing Haley to trot home for the go-ahead run.

Relief man Ryan Harper came on to retire Gardner-Webb in order in the 10th to pick up the save. Anderson (2-0) won his second game of the series in relief, surviving an improbable situation in the ninth. An error led to three Penn State runs in the top of the ninth in a 6-4 win in Sunday's season opener.

Each team collected eight hits in the game, with Penn State getting two each from Ryan Richter (2-for-3, 3B, run, RBI) and James Coates (2-for-4, run, RBI). Penn State starter Taylor Patton (ND) worked 8.0 innings and allowed just two earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts (no walks).

Andrew Massey (0-1) took the hard-luck loss in relief, scattering two singles in 2.0 innings and allowing just one unearned run. Erik Heiligenstadt allowed three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings of work in a no decision. Mitch Warner worked 2.2 innings of scoreless relief in his second appearance of the season.

Gardner-Webb got two hits each from Ryan Hodge (2-for-5), Rundio (2-for-4, 2B, run, RBI) and Johnson (2-for-3). JJ Nazzaro (1-for-5, run) and Scott Coleman (1-for-4, run) also had hits for the Runnin' Bulldogs. The bottom four spots in the batting order for GWU finished the day 0-for-15 with five strikeouts.

Rundio delivered a key hit for Gardner-Webb in a three-run sixth to tie the game, belting a two-run double - advancing to third on the throw home and scoring when an attempt to cut him down at third sailed into shallow left field. Penn State manufactured a run in the first, taking advantage of a leadoff infield single, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI groundout from Guers. An RBI triple from Richter and an RBI single from Coates keyed a two-run fifth inning for the Nittany Lions.

The Runnin' Bulldogs will travel down I-85 on Wednesday afternoon to battle Wofford at 4:00 pm in Spartanburg, S.C., kicking off an eight-game road swing. GWU doesn't play at home again until Wednesday, March 5, against USC Upstate.