| Matt Ogrodnik was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday after notching a win and a save in two of Penn State's three wins last week. |
University Park, Pa.; April 10, 2007 - Penn State senior relief pitcher Matt Ogrodnik (Saltsburg, Pa.) was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday. In two appearances last week, Ogrodnik picked up a win and a save to factor into two of Penn State's three wins last week. It is the first career weekly honor from the Big Ten for Ogrodnik.
The fifth-year senior out of Saltsburg, Pa. who leads the Big Ten in appearances this year picked up his first win of the year and just his second career win in the Nittany Lions' win over Kent State last Wednesday. He entered the game with the Lions trailing by one and a runner at second and one out in the top of the seventh inning. He got the last two outs to strand that runner, then watched as the Nittany Lions took the lead in the bottom of the inning before coming back out to pitch a scoreless eighth to pick up the win. It was his first win since his first career appearance in 2005.
Then in Penn State's win over Iowa on Friday, Ogrodnik relieved starter Seth Whitehill (Bellefonte, Pa.) with two outs in the sixth inning, Penn State clinging to a 3-1 lead, and the tying runs on base. He got out of that jam and then pitched the final three innings of the game without allowing any runs while striking out a season-high three, allowing four hits and not walking any. His 3.1 innings were also a season high and his save was the first of the year. The save was also the fourth of the year for Penn State, equaling the team total from last year in only the 23rd game of this season.