March 21, 2008
University Park, Pa. - The Nittany Lion bats exploded on Friday afternoon in Penn State's home opener as the Lions collected 16 hits and scored the most runs since 2005 as they topped Lehigh 18-9 in the opener of a three-game series. Cory Wine went 3-for-4 with a home run and scored three runs and Scott Kelley went 3-for-5 with four runs, including a bases-clearing triple to pace the offense while seven different Nittany Lions had a multiple-RBI game, led by Kelley, Wes Borden and Rob Yodice, who each knocked in three runs apiece.
Starting pitcher Seth Whitehill got into trouble early, as he gave up seven runs, six earned on 10 hits over five innings of work, but the potent Penn State offense picked him up, allowing him to pick his second win of the season and improve to 2-1. Brian Ernst went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored while Joe Blackburn knocked in two runs. Rick Marlin went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI and Ryan Boonie, who entered the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter for starter Grant Youngblood, went 2-for-3 with two RBI and run scored. Borden also had three RBI.
Penn State had to rally from being down 6-0 after two and half innings. After a scoreless first inning, the Mountain Hawks struck first in the top of the second. With Logan Marshall on second base and two outs, Billy Swenson went opposite field with a line drive that touched the foul line for a double, driving in the first run of the game.
Lehigh's leadoff man, Joe Ercolano, began a five-run third inning with a shallow fly ball single that dropped just in front of Kelley's glove in left. McHaheran followed by notching his second hit of the game, which landed at the warning track for an RBI double. After walking Andy Russell and hitting Austin Borden in the helmet with a pitch, Whitehill found himself in a bases loaded, no outs jam. After striking out Matt Reitz with a backdoor curve and getting Marshall to pop out, Geoff Campbell sprayed a soft liner to right field for a two-run single. He took second base when Marlin allowed the ball to get behind him and Swenson followed with another two-run single to left before Whitehill ended the inning with a groundout.
Rick Marlin went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a pair of RBI and three doubles. |
Marlin made up for his error as he led off the bottom of the third with a line drive double to right center, the Nittany Lions' first hit of the game. Kelley advanced the runner to third with a single and took second on the throw. Borden drove them both in with a base hit up the middle. After Lou Picconi drew a walk, Matteo made his second errant pickoff throw of the inning, allowing both runners to advance. Yodice knocked in the Lions' third run of the inning with a groundout to first.
Whitehill regained his form in the fourth, sitting down the Mountain Hawks in order. Wine led off for Penn State with a base hit to the hole between first and second. Ernst followed with a single through the same spot while Wine advanced to third on the play. He tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly from Marlin. Youngblood then knocked an RBI base hit through the right side and the runners advanced to second and third on the throw. Kelley then scored on a Borden groundout, tying the score at six.
Lehigh led off with three consecutive hits, resulting in one run but a strong throw from Marlin in right produced the first out as he caught Reitz rounding second too far. Campbell's second hit of the game put Whitehill in another jam with runners on first and second and one out, but his he was able to induce a 6-4-3 double play ball off the bat of Swenson.
Down 7-6, Penn State came out strong in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases on a walk and two hits. A line drive off Matteo's leg off the bat of Ernst sent him out of the game and his replacement, Andrew Grimm, walked Marlin to force in a run and tie the game at seven. Kelley then delivered his bases-clearing triple over the head of the right fielder to Penn State its first lead of the afternoon and the lead for good. Boonie then continued the assault with a pinch hit single to left, giving the Nittany Lions an 11-7 lead.
Scott Kelley hit his first career triple and scored a career high four runs as he went 3-for-5. |
Penn State then poured it on with a seven-run seventh inning to take an 18-7 lead. Mike Lebo replaced Grimm and Marlin greeted him by lashing a double down the left field line. Kelley ripped his third hit of the game and Boonie notched his second with an RBI drag bunt, beating the throw to first. Lebo then mishandled a Borden sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Yodice and Joe Blackburn hit back-to-back doubles to each drive in two runs apiece. Lehigh then brought on Ken Longernecker for Lebo, and Wine greeted him by depositing his first offering over the fence in right center for a two-run homer, his second of the year, putting Penn State up 18-7.
Penn State relievers Paul Hawkins and Paul Cianciolo combined for three scoreless innings in the sixth through eight before Mike Pierce came on to finish the game, giving up a two-out, two-run single to give Lehigh its final two runs of the game.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled to start Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
Notes: Boonie recorded his first career hit and RBI with his pinch hit single in the fifth inning. He then followed that up with a bunt single in the seventh inning....The bases-clearing triple for Kelley in the fifth was the first three-bagger of his career....Kelley also knocked in a career-high three runs and scored a career-high four runs....Yodice made his first career start at third base. He played some third base with his summer league team last year but had not played a position other than catcher or DH with the Nittany Lions up until today....Penn State's 18 runs are the most it has scored in a game since March 30, 2005 when the Nits topped Bucknell 19-6....The Nittany Lions now have eight home runs on the year through their first 14 games, three more than their total from last year through the first 14....This is the second straight year that the Nittany Lions have won their home opener. Penn State topped Central Connecticut State in the home opener last year.