March 21, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following a close 4-2 victory yesterday over New York Tech, the Penn State baseball team came out Saturday and ripped out 13 runs in a 13-2 victory over the Bears.
Penn State's greatest run production came in the seventh inning, thanks to two costly errors by the Bears. In the inning, Penn State (10-8 overall) had only one hit, but scored seven runs off the two errors and five runners reaching base from walks. Penn State led 12-0 at the conclusion of the seventh inning.
Scott Kelley (Arlington Heights, Ill.) yielded three hits and allowed no earned runs in seven innings of work as the senior hurler won his team-high third victory of the season.
The Nittany Lions finished the game with ten hits. Senior Cory Wine (Stillwater, Okla.) led the way for Penn State as he went 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI.
Freshman third baseman Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs as well. Mike Lorentson (Springfield, Pa.) and Jesse Alfreno (Grove City, Pa.) each held the Bears scoreless in their respective bullpen outings.
Eric Cos went 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Bears. Preston Wasmund took the loss for New York Tech. Wasmund went five innings and gave up three earned runs on eight hits.
Penn State's run scoring came when senior Mike Deese (Roswell, Ga.) drove in junior Blake Lynd (Deer Park, Texas) in the first inning to give Penn State an early 1-0 advantage. Lynd, who reached with a lead-off single, stole two bases, and Deese snagged his first stolen base of the season.
New York Tech starter Preston Wasmund kept the Nittany Lions relatively in hand for the first three innings until Penn State piled on three in the fourth. Wine hit a seeing-eye single to center before scoring on an errant throw by second baseman Brian Smith on a double play. Sophomore catcher Bobby Jacobs (West Chester, Pa.) continued his searing offensive putout with a double that landed in the left-center field nook. Jacobs gave the Nittany Lions a 5-0 lead, scoring on an infield single by senior second baseman Landon Nakata (Honolulu, Hawai'i).
Following a one-run sixth frame, highlighted by a Wine double, Penn State scored seven runs in the seventh on just one hit. The five of the first six up to the plate were given free passes, and Penn State scored runs on a hit by a pitch, a passed ball and a single by Steranka.
New York Tech averted a potential shutout in the top of the ninth, taking advantage of two run-scoring walks. Alfreno ended the damage with bases-loaded flyout.
The Bears and Nittany Lions close the series at noon on Sunday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
GAME NOTES: Blake Lynd advanced his hitting streak to 10 games...Grant Youngblood's 15-game streak came to an end with a 0-for-3 performance.