April 12, 2008
West Lafayette, Ind. - Penn State and Purdue exchanged single runs early but the Boilermakers broke open the game with a five-run third inning and then put it away with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings as the Boilers topped the Nittany Lions 12-4 in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Battling through adverse conditions that included spots of rain, wind and a chilly temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s, Nittany Lion starter Mike Wanamaker lasted just four innings and needed to make 86 pitches to do so. He allowed just six hits but walked four and gave up nine runs, only five of which were earned as Penn State committed four errors in the game. The four-inning stint for Wanamaker was tied for his shortest of the year. Cory Wine went 2-for-4 and Rick Marlin went 2-for-3 to pace the Penn State offense.
Penn State scored first, pushing across a single run in the second inning as Joe Blackburn and Cory Wine led off the inning with back-to-back singles, advanced on a groundout and Blackburn scored on a single by Rick Marlin. Purdue evened it in the bottom of the second, however, as they got a sacrifice fly from Nick Overmyer to score Dan Black, who had drawn a leadoff walk.
The Nittany Lions retook the lead with another single run in the third, taking advantage of a Purdue error as Blackburn picked up an RBI sacrifice fly to plate Nakata, who had singled to lead off the inning.
Thing then came apart for Penn State in the bottom of the third as the Lions committed two errors and the Boilers got three hits, drew a pair of walks and had a man hit by a pitch to produce their four runs. The inning started with a leadoff walk to Brandon Haveman and he went to third on a single to left by Ben Wolgamot and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryne White. Jordan Comadena then singled and Dan Black was plunked to load the bases. Eric Nielsen then drew a walk to force in a run and keep the sacks loaded. Jon Moore followed with a grounder to short that forced Nielsen and scored another run but Nakata's relay throw to first to try to finish the double play went high and into the Penn State dugout, allowing Moore to go to second and another run to score. Moore then came around on a double by Lilly.
Rick Marlin had a pair of hits in Saturday's first game. |
Penn State was able to scored another run in the fourth inning to stay in the game and make it 6-3 as Marlin singled with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Ryan Boonie. However, Purdue extended that lead to 9-3 with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of another Penn State error and getting another home run off the bat of Dan Black, this one a two-run shot to left with two outs.
The Boilers made it 12-3 in the fifth off reliever Calvin Grumley, who gave up five hits in the inning, including three double and also uncorked two wild pitches. Penn State added another tally in the seventh to account for the final score as Wine singled in Brian Ernst.
In the game, Wine broke the Penn State career record for putout by recording his 1,194th career putout to record the final out of the third inning.
Notes: Nakata reached base three more times out of four plate appearances and has now reached base in eight out of 10 plate appearances in the series....Blackburn reached base in his first plate appearance and had reached base in six straight appearances before his sacrifice fly in the third. He has now reached base in six out of nine plate appearances in the series....Wine has now hit in six straight games.