Feb. 24, 2008
Coach Wine's postgame podcast interview (2-24) (mp3)
High Point, N.C. - Penn State held a slim one-run lead heading into the seventh inning but was unable to keep High Point off the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings as the Panthers tied the game in the seventh and then scored three runs in the eighth inning to take a 7-4 lead and held on for a come-from-behind win over the Nittany Lions.
Penn State outhit the Panthers 11-10, including seven doubles, but the Nittany Lions stranded 10 runners on the day, including nine in scoring position and did not score any runs after the fourth inning and had just one hit after the sixth. High Point starter Bubba O'Donnell threw over 100 pitchers, lasting six innings and allowing 10 hits and four runs but he struck out 12, including several in key spots with Nittany Lion runners in scoring position to limit the damage done.
Seth Whitehill started for the Nittany Lions and turned in a solid performance, pitching six inning and allowing three runs, just two earned, on seven hits. He struck out two and did not walk any. Every Nittany Lion starter got at least one hit. Landon Nakata and Joe Blackburn led the way for Penn State, each going 2-for-5 while Nakata also had two RBI. Rob Yodice and Scott Kelley each knocked in a run apiece as well.
Penn State drew first blood for the second time in three games this year in the first inning as they strung together three-straight one-out hits. Nakata began the string with a double down the left field line. Yodice followed with his first hit of the year, a single down the right field line to drive in Nakata to make it 1-0. Blackburn followed with a double down the right field line to put runners at second and third but after a visit to the mound, O'Donnell came back to strike out both Cory Wine and Mike Deese looking to end the inning.
The Nits added one more run in the second inning as they got back-to-back doubles by Rick Marlin and Kelley to make it 2-0. High Point answered by cutting the lead to one in the bottom of the second as Randy Schwartz hit a one-out triple to deep center field in which center fielder Brian Ernst tripped and lost the ball in the air. Schwartz came home to score on a groundout.
Rob Yodice got his first hit of the year and drove in a run on Sunday. |
In the fourth, Penn State took advantage of a throwing error by O'Donnell on a one-out bunt by Lou Picconi to push across two runs. Following Picconi's reaching, Ernst doubled down the left field line, putting runners at second and third. Nakata then followed with his second hit of the day, a single through the left side past the drawn in third baseman to score both runners and made it 4-1.
High Point took advantage of a Penn State error to push across an unearned run to cut the deficit to two runs in the fourth. Back-to-back one-out singles by Billy Alvino and Schwartz put runners on first and second and they moved up a base on a groundout to second. It looked as if the Lions would be out of the inning as Alfie Wheeler's chopper down the line at third was snared by Deese on a nice play but his throw to first was low and Wine was unable to pick it out of the dirt, allowing Alvino to come home.
The Panthers then cut the lead to one in the fifth inning as they got a leadoff double by Pablo Rosario and then a single by Robby Kusdale, putting runners at second and third with no outs. But Whitehill did a good job of limiting the damage as he got a flyout by Chris Norwood that went for a sacrifice fly before getting a groundout and soft liner to short to end the frame with the Nittany Lions still on top.
Whitehill left the game after the sixth inning and gave way to freshman Calvin Grumley, who was making his first collegiate appearance. He retired the first two hitters of the inning on groundouts to second but then lost his control as he walked the next three hitters to load the bases. In came Paul Hawkins for his second appearance of the series and he hit Alvino with his second pitch to force in the tying run before striking out Schwartz to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Max Fulginiti led off with a solid single to left center off Hawkins. Hawkins then threw to second on Wheeler's sacrifice attempt but his throw pulled Picconi off the bag, putting runners at first and second. Eric Marion then attempted another bunt but Hawkins' throw to Deese at third was right on this time, recording the first out of the inning. Rosario then singled through the hole at deep short to drive in the go-ahead run. After Hawkins got a groundout that pushed the runners up a base, Norwood singled to right to knock in the runners from second and third. Marlin's throw from right field beat the runner coming from second but Blackburn dropped the throw, which was up the third base line.
Penn State went down in order in the ninth.
The Nittany Lions will be back in action next weekend when they travel to Dothan, Ala. to play in the Screentech Wiregrass Classic, hosted by Troy. The Nits will play the host Trojans on Friday followed by Kennesaw State and Wake Forest.
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