April 8, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Jordan Steranka hit a walk-off single to drive in the winning run as the Nittany Lions overcame a three-run deficit in the bottom of the eighth to defeat Bucknell, 12-11, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Wednesday.
Steranka's drive to left capped off a 4-for-4 night in which the freshman third baseman reached base safely in all six at-bats. He ended up with three RBIs, two runs and a triple. Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) recorded four hits in each of his past two games.
David Lutz (West Chester, Pa.) claimed his team-leading fourth win of the season out of the bullpen. Lutz did not allow an earned run in 2 2/3 innings pitched, letting up only two hits and one walk.
The ninth inning fireworks were lit when Blake Lynd (Deer Park, Texas) singled up the middle on a ball snagged by the shortstop Ben Allen but not in time to catch the speedy junior centerfielder. Lynd easily reached scoring position on a ground ball. Louie Picconi (North Merrick, N.Y.) battled to advance him to third on a grounder to Allen. Steranka found plenty of open real estate in front of rightfielder Andrew Brouse to ignite the Nittany Lion bench as they celebrated their 11th come-from-behind victory this season.
Penn State was helped by a collection of players with multiple hits and RBIs. Grant Youngblood (Marietta, Ga.), Rick Marlin (Orlando, Fla.) and Picconi each had two hits. Cory Wine (Stillwater, Okla.), Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.), Michael Glantz (Marietta, Ga.) and Marlin all delivered two RBIs. Picconi and Lynd scored three times during the game.
All nine starters recorded a hit for the Nittany Nine.
The Nittany Lions out-hit the Bison, 15-14, and both teams used six pitchers during the outing. Ryan Ignas (Lansdale, Pa.) took the hill for Penn State while on a pitch count, surrendering two earned runs in two innings of work.
Allen had four hits for Bucknell, while Brouse continued his productive season with three RBIs.
Both teams jumped out to score twice in their first at-bats. For Bucknell, Bob Donato and Andrew Brouse piled on doubles as part of a three-hit inning. During Penn State's turn, the first three runners reached base, and Wine and Heath manufactured two runs on a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly.
Penn State showed the ability to showcase its hitting by scoring four runs with two outs in the second. After Marlin reached to start off and two ours were recorded, Picconi singled to left-center to give the Nittany Lions their first lead of the game. Steranka then knocked in his first two runs, rocketing a triple to right-center. Wine nailed the fourth run in the inning with a single to the right side.
Jimmy Murphy, the first Bison pitcher to come into relief, put the Nittany Lions into submission for the next four innings, while the Bison reclaimed the lead and jumped out to a 10-6 advantage. Allen and Ben Yoder found solace up the middle, tapping two singles to allow Brouse to send a ball into deep left-center to clear the bases.
Bucknell took the lead for the first time since the early stages of the game in the fifth innings. Drew Constable cranked a two-run single, and the Bison scored five runs in three frames to eventually hike their lead to 10-6.
Down four runs, things looked dire until a two-run seventh put the Nittany Lions in arm's reach. Brouse attempted to make a diving catch on a Youngblood hit and nearly prevented a double for the sophomore leftfielder. Marlin grounded to the shortstop but a wide throw drew first baseman Doug Shribman off the bag. A team-leading 18th walk for Wes Borden (Charlotte, N.C.) loaded the bases for Glantz, who placed a ball into shallow left. Marlin, who was closely trailing Youngblood on the base paths, slid under catcher B.J. LaRosa's mitt to make it a 10-8 game.
After an unearned run in the eighth extended Bucknell's lead to three, Penn State, like it had eight days earlier when the two teams played, used a big inning to put itself back into contention. Picconi, who walked, raced to third on a Steranka base knock into the hole. Marlin creamed a ball into the left-field nook and legged out a triple to tie the game at 11 apiece.
Lutz shut the door on the Bison in the ninth, forcing one of Penn State's Big Ten leading double plays to end a potential threat with a runner in scoring position.
The Nittany Lions return to action this weekend with a three-game set against Purdue. First pitch for Friday's game is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Steranka extends his hitting streak to 13 games... David Lutz has not allowed a run in 8 2/3 consecutive innings pitched, dating back to March 29 against Ohio State. He has given up five hits and two walks during that time frame...Steranka has hit in consecutive four-hit games. He has raised his average 40 points in the past two games... Penn State has 11 come-from-behind victories this season... The Nittany Lions, who came into this week with the sixth most double plays in the country, turned two double plays... Steranka has eight multi-hit games in the past 13 games played...Penn State has seven games with 15 or more hits.