May 15, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Seth Rosin outmatched Mike Lorentson in a pitchers duel as the Penn State baseball team was edged by No. 21 Minnesota, 4-2, on Friday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Golden Gophers remain a half-game ahead of second-place Ohio State in the race for the Big Ten regular season title.
Pitching in his final appearance as a Nittany Lion, Lorentson (Springfield, Pa.) went toe-to-toe with Rosin, going 7 2-3 innings while allowing three earned runs and punching out six Gophers.
Rosin earned the luxury of having run support, earning his fifth victory of the season. The Minnesota right-hander whiffed seven in as many innings and gave up just four hits.
The two starters combined for 13 strikeouts and walked only two hitters over 13 2-3 combined innings. The two teams finished nine in 2:19, the shortest game played at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park this season.
Rick Marlin (Orlando, Fla.) led the way for the Nittany Lions, going 2-for-3. After Ryan Boonie (State College, Pa.) singled to lead off the eighth, Marlin jacked a two-run home run over the left-field wall to cut the deficit to one run. The left fielder is 5-for-11 in the past three games played.
Minnesota edged Penn State in the hits department, owning an 8-6 advantage.
Along with fooling Gopher hitters for seven innings and change, Lorentson flashed some leather on the mound. He made four assists on four comebackers.
Mike Deese (Roswell, Ga.), Landon Nakata (Honolulu, Hawai'i) and Ben Heather (Huntersville, N.C.) each had hits for the Nittany Lions.
Minnesota reliever Scott Matyas earned his second save in as many days. Matyas, while allowing two hits, sat down five batters in two innings pitched.
Penn State, which came into the weekend with the second-most twin killers turned in the nation, fielded two double plays. Each team left four batters on base.
The Nittany Lions finish their season on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.