| Craig Clark took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and ended his day with eight innings pitched and just one hit and one unearned run allowed as Penn State won the inaugural collegiate game in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park 8-1 over Central Connecticut on Friday. |
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 23, 2007 - Craig Clark (Phoenixville, Pa.) took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and ended his day by throwing eight innings and allowing just one hit and no earned runs to lead Penn State to an 8-1 victory over Central Connecticut in the first collegiate game played at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Friday night. The win is Clark??s first of the year.
Clark, who also started the final game at Beaver Field last spring, nearly pulled off the first Penn State no-hitter since 1995 in starting the first game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. He faced the minimum through seven innings, allowing only a first inning walk to leadoff hitter Richie Tri before promptly picking him off at first base. He then retired 14 straight before allowing a leadoff walk to number seven hitter Matt Memoli in the sixth inning. He faced just three hitters in the sixth as well as he got the number nine hitter to ground into an inning-ending double play.
After getting the side in order in the seventh inning, he gave up a leadoff walk to John Romano in the eighth inning. He then gave up his only hit of the day, a bloop single into right field just out of the reach of second baseman Matt Cavagnaro (Brightwaters, N.Y.). He was then given a standing ovation by the 762 fans on hand for his effort. After inducing a double play ball to get two outs, a passed ball allowed pinch runner Sean Allaire to score the only run of the game for the Blue Devils, which was unearned.
He ended his day with eight innings of work, striking out six and walking three and allowing just the one hit and one unearned run. Gary Amato (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) worked the ninth, striking out one and allowing one hit.
The Nittany Lion offense supported Clark all night as four Nittany Lions had multiple hits, led by Brian Ernst (Boyertown, Pa.) who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Rob Yodice (Staten Island, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and a pair of RBI. Joe Blackburn (Sinking Spring, Pa.) also had two RBI and went 2-for-5 while Cavagnaro went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs.
| Matt Cavagnaro went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of runs scored in Penn State's 8-1 win over CCSU. |
Penn State scored one run in the second inning before picking up three more in the third. In the second, with two outs, Yodice was hit by a pitch and he scored on Rick Marlin??s (Orlando, Fla.) long double to left center, the first extra base hit in the stadium. In the third, Cavagnaro, Ernst and Blackburn all singled to load the bases with no outs. Cory Wine (Stillwater, Okla.) then drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Cavagnaro and one out later, Yodice single to right center to drive in Ernst and Blackburn to make it 4-0.
After Penn State had just one baserunner in the three middle innings ?C the fourth, fifth and sixth ?C the Nittany Lions tacked on two more runs each in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, after Cavagnaro led off with a walk and Ernst reached on catcher??s interference, both runners moved up on a wild pitch and both scored on Blackburn??s single up the middle.
In the eighth, Yodice led off with a double to center. Two outs later, Scott Kelley (Arlington Heights, Ill.) drew a walk and then Cavagnaro doubled down the left field line to plate Yodice. Kelley then scored on an infield single by Ernst for the final run of the game.
Penn State snaps its eight-game losing streak with the win and improves to 3-12 overall on the year. The Nittany Lions will send Seth Whitehill (Bellefonte, Pa.) to the mound tomorrow against the Blue Devils. First pitch is at 2:05 p.m.