March 22, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State baseball team shelled 13 singles to complete a three-game sweep of New York Tech with a 9-2 victory on Sunday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions pegged their longest winning streak of the season, capturing their past four games.
Mike Deese (Roswell, Ga.) and Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.) each stood at 3-for-3 for the day. Heath, who played his first game since injuring his quad during the March 7 game against Akron, reached first in all four at-bats and scored two runs.
"The lineup is great," Deese said. "Look at our lineup and anytime you can expect someone to come up with a double. It's fun to hit in a lineup like this."
In his first start at the No. 3 spot in the rotation, Calvin Grumley (Johnsonburg, Pa.) locked his second consecutive win as Bears' hitters scattered two hits and struck out six times during his six innings of work. Grumley retired 10 consecutive batters through a four-inning span.
"My pitches were coming in great," Grumley said. "All I had to do was throw strikes and let the defense guide me."
New York Tech walked 11 batters and turned three errors. The Bears also fielded four double plays.
Landon Nakata (Honolulu, Hawai'i) reached base in four of his five-at bats. Nakata went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs.
Penn State currently stands at an 11-8, while New York Tech drops to 3-12.
Blake Lynd (Deer Park, Texas) extended his consecutive hits streak to 11 games. Lynd also reached base four times, as Bears' pitchers issued him three walks.
For the second consecutive day, Penn State spotted on run on the board in the first inning. New York Tech starter Frank Ryan, who wound up receiving the loss, walked the first two batters before Deese lined a single to centerfield to score Nakata.
Walks plagued the Bears in the second, as well. Ryan walked the first three batters and Michael Glantz (Marietta, Ga.) scored on an errant throw by catcher George Carroll, who was trying to gun Glantz at third base. Rick Marlin (Orlando, Fla.) brought in Grant Youngblood (Marietta, Ga.) when he beat out a potential double play. Overall, the Nittany Lions were walked five times during the inning.
Glantz brought home the fourth run in his next at-bat with a single to leftfield.
Penn State manufactured its biggest inning in the fourth inning with four singles. Heath let off with a base hit, followed by a Nakata knock that sent two runners to home. Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) drilled another single to increase Penn State's lead to 7-0.
New York Tech prevented a shutout in the seventh, with the Nittany Lions up by eight runs when Sebastian Grazziani and Christian Dienna started the frame with two base hits off Paul Cianciolo (Charleston, S.C.). After a grounder to second scored Grazziani, the Bears sent their second runner home with a Chris Ruffer single that came just short of Lynd's mitt in centerfield.
Mike Franklin pitched a scoreless inning in his first appearance as a Nittany Lion in relief.
Penn State returns to action this week with consecutive road nonconference games at No. 21 Kent State on Tuesday and at Temple. The Nittany Lions host their Big Ten opener next weekend against Ohio State at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
GAME NOTES: Three of the Penn State players - Ben Heath, Landon Nakata and Blake Lynd - reached safely four times... Blake Lynd has an 11-game hitting streak... Penn State starters allowed two earned runs in 20 innings pitched throughout the three games during the New York Tech series.