Cornell was two outs away from avoiding a sweep.
Instead, Penn flipped the game — and the series — on its final swing.
A run batted in single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Quakers past the Red, 6-5, on Sunday afternoon, completing a three-game sweep in Philadelphia.
Cornell (6-20, 4-8 Ivy) led for eight innings in the finale but could not close out the game, dropping its fourth straight game. Penn (14-15, 8-4 Ivy), meanwhile, extended its winning streak to six and moved into third place in the Ivy League standings.
Game 1: A Mid-Game Collapse
In the opener, the Red carried a 2-0 lead into the fifth before a Quaker four-run frame, fueled by Cornell miscues — four walks and a hit batter — gave Penn the lead. The Quakers carried on that momentum, adding three more in the seventh inning for a 7-3 result.
Game 2: Buried Early
The nightcap got out of hand quickly.
Penn erupted for six runs in the first frame and built a 9-1 lead after two innings. Cornell showed life with a four-run sixth inning, but the early deficit proved insurmountable in a 14-5 loss.
Head coach Dan Pepicelli, entering his 11th season at the helm, pointed to inconsistency and figuring out roles as ongoing challenges.
“I’m still trying to figure out what roles are working best for certain guys,” Pepicelli said. “At the end of the day, I take responsibility for not putting people in the position of being successful.”
Pepicelli emphasized the need for his team to play “complimentary baseball,” citing that pitching, defense and situational execution as key areas for improvement.
The Red have also been hit hard by injuries, with 12 players lost for the season.
“It’s been a devastating year with the injuries,” Pepicelli said. “With that said, I love the attitude the guys are playing with. They are giving me everything they’ve got.”
Despite the struggles, junior infielders, Kevin Hager and Owen Carlson have remained key offensive assets, leading the team across multiple categories. They both rank among the team’s top hitters, with Carlson batting .337 and Hager at .330.
“They are both such tough competitors,” Pepicelli said. “I know that they are hurt, and they are giving me all they got to get through it. It’s inspiring to their teammates.”
Game 3: Eight Solid Innings
The Red appeared in control early.
Cornell built a 5-2 lead through three innings behind a sharp start from senior right-handed pitcher Ethan Hamill and consistent early offense. The Penn bullpen, however, shut the door from there, tossing six scoreless innings to keep the Quakers within striking distance.
That opening proved decisive in the ninth inning.
After a leadoff double and a pair of costly wild pitches cut the lead to one, Penn tied the game on a sacrifice fly before delivering the final blow: a two-out single to seal the walk-off win — and also the sweep.
On Deck
Cornell will look to reset during a four-game homestand, beginning Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. against Binghamton (17-13, 9-3 AE) before a weekend Ivy League series against Yale (19-10, 9-3 Ivy).
“We are really focused on Yale,” Pepicelli said. “We’ve got to throw strike one. They steal a lot of bases and have some of the best pitching in the conference, so we need to be opportunistic.”
All the action will be available on ESPN+.
Austin Curtis is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a Sun Staff Writer and can be reached at acurtis@cornellsun.com.
