| Seth Whitehill allowed just three hits in six innings to pick up his first win of the year on Saturday as three PSU pitchers combined to shut out Central Connecticut 9-0. |
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 24, 2007 ?C Seth Whitehill (Bellefonte, Pa.) pitched six innings, allowing just three hits and three Penn State pitchers combined on the Nittany Lions first shutout of the year as Penn State topped Central Connecticut 9-0 on Saturday afternoon. Rob Yodice (Staten Island, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and three RBI while Brian Ernst (Boyertown, Pa.) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, his fourth straight multiple-hit game.
Whitehill pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning without allowing a run. After allowing two walks and a single around two outs, he got a fielder??s choice grounder to get out of the inning and strand the bases loaded. He also induced a double play ball in the third inning after giving up a leadoff walk. In his final two innings of work, he induced two more double play balls to end the innings, including one in the fifth to end the frame after runners were on first and second with just one out after a one-out double and a fielder??s choice.
The righty from nearby Bellefonte, Pa. allowed just three hits while walking three and striking out one. He got nine ground ball outs in picking up his first win of the year to improve to 1-3.
Central Connecticut??s Evan Scribner pitched very well through the first five innings, allowing only one unearned run in the third inning, which was the result of a failed pickoff throw to first base that allowed Garrett Field (Stillwater, Okla.) to go all the way to third base after he had reached on an infield single. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Cavagnaro (Brightwaters, N.Y.) to give PSU the 1-0 lead.
The Nittany Lions broke the game open with six runs in the sixth inning, the most they have scored in any inning this year, as they sent 10 batters to the plate. They took advantage of four hits, including a two-run double by Rick Marlin (Orlando, Fla.), as well as two walks, one intentional, and a hit batsman. Cavagnaro led off with a single and Ernst walked. Cavagnaro scored on an RBI double by Joe Blackburn (Sinking Spring, Pa.). The Blue Devils then intentionally walked Cory Wine (Stillwater, Okla.) but then had to pay for that as Mike Deese (Roswell, Ga.) followed with an RBI single to left and Yodice was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in one more. Marlin then doubled down the line in left to drive in two more and the final run of the inning scored on a sacrifice fly by Field.
| Brian Ernst collected his fourth straight multiple-hit game on Saturday, going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs. |
In the seventh, the Nittany Lions fell victim to an odd play but still managed to score two more runs to stretch the lead to 9-0. With no one out and runners on first and second after a single by Ernst and a walk to Blackburn, Wine lifted a fly ball to right field that was caught but then dropped by CCSU right fielder Jay Schillaci, appearing to load the bases. However, after a conference by the umpires, it was ruled that the ball was dropped on the transfer from the glove to the throwing hand and Wine was ruled out. CCSU then appealed to first and Blackburn was called out for failing to tag up at first before going to second, making it two outs and Ernst on third. Deese then drew a walk before Yodice drove a triple to deep center field to drive in both runs, the first triple at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Ryan Stobart (Barrington, Ill.) worked the seventh and eighth innings while Drew O??Neil (Roswell, Ga.) worked the ninth for Penn State out of the bullpen.
The Nittany Lions and Blue Devils will wrap up the series tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. with Mark Wyner (Norwalk, Conn.) taking the hill for Penn State in his first scheduled start since February 16th.