March 29, 2008
Big Ten Network Video Highlights
Columbus, Ohio - Mike Wanamaker pitched six innings and allowed just one run and Drew O'Neil tied the Penn State school record for career saves with the 15th of his career and the Nittany Lion offense generated just enough offense to pull out a 3-1 victory and even the series at one game apiece in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at Ohio State's Bill Davis Stadium.
Despite issuing six walks, Wanamaker pitched out all but one Ohio State scoring opportunity in his six innings of work to pick up his second win of the season. He allowed just three hits on the one run and struck out three. The Penn State defense was also flawless as the Nittany Lions did not commit an error and also turned two double plays and threw out a runner attempting to steal.
Offensively, just one night after being held to five hits, Penn State slugged out 13 hits, including a 4-for-4 performance by Rick Marlin, who collected two double and two singles and scored a run. Brian Ernst went 2-for-4 with a run while Joe Blackburn and Landon Nakata each went 2-for-3 with an RBI apiece.
Penn State showed itself to have a short memory as the Nittany Lions jumped on Ohio State starter Dan DeLucia to pick up a run in the first inning and get onto the scoreboard for the first time this series. With one out, Ernst doubled to the gap in right center. One out later, he came home on a single by Blackburn that dropped just inside the right field line to put the Nittany Lions up 1-0.
Rick Marlin had his first career four-hit game, going 4-for-4 with a run scored. |
Wanamaker allowed at least one baserunner in each inning from the first through fourth but he kept the Buckeyes off the scoreboard, getting an inning-ending double play in the second to aid his cause. After threatening in the fourth but not scoring due to a couple of hard hit balls that were right at fielders, the Nittany Lions extended the lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning off relief pitcher Drew Rucinski, who took over for DeLucia to begin the fifth inning. Wes Borden greeted Rucinski with a double over the head of the left fielder Tony Kennedy. That was followed by Ernst's second hit of the game, a bunt single out in front of the plate that he beat out to put runners at the corners. Borden then came home on a sacrifice fly to left by Rob Yodice.
Walks finally caught up to Wanamaker in the bottom of the fifth as Ohio State cut the lead to one. Kennedy and Cory Kovanda drew back-to-back one out walks and J.B. Shuck the dumped a short single into shallow left field to drive in Kennedy. But Wanamaker got Justin Miller to bounce out to short on a soft chopper that also advanced the runners to second and third and he then struck out Ryan Meade to end the inning.
The Nittany Lions bounced right back to retake the two-run lead with another run in the top of the sixth as Marlin led off with his third hit of the day and his second double, this one to right center. He advanced to third on Ryan Boonie's sacrifice bunt and scored on Landon Nakata's single through the drawn-in infield to the left side.
Brian Ernst went 2-for-4 with a run in the game one victory. |
Wanamaker induced another inning-ending double play ball to end the sixth and also end his day. O'Neil came in for the seventh and despite giving up a two-out single to Kovanda, set down the side with relative ease to pick up his record-tying save and his fourth save of the year overall in as many opportunities.
Notes: Marlin's 4-for-4 performance was the second four-hit game for a Nittany Lion this year. Ernst also had a four-hit game vs. Air Force back on March 9. The four hits were also a career high for Marlin....Marlin now has two multiple-double games this year. He also recorded two doubles in a game last weekend vs. Lehigh....Boonie now has three sacrifice hits on the year....O'Neil tied the saves record held by Clint Eury (2002-05). O'Neil also holds the season saves record of 11 that he set last year....Cory Wine recorded 12 more putouts in the first game on Saturday and now has 1116 for his career, just four shy of moving into second place on the career putout list at Penn State....Wanamaker and O'Neil combined to snap Tony Kennedy of Ohio State's 17-game hitting streak as he went 0-for-2 with two walks.