March 10, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Penn State baseball team fell victim to strong two-out hitting as Texas A&M scored all seven of its runs with two outs on its way to a 7-0 win on Wednesday evening. Redshirt Senior Mike Wanamaker (Upper Nyack, N.Y.), who was on a pitch count in his first start since 2008, threw the first four innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits with four strikeouts. After allowing two first-inning runs, he bounced back with his strongest inning when he struck out the side in the second. The Nittany Lions (4-5) now look ahead to a weekend series at 2009 NCAA Regional participant Texas State.
Wanamaker impressed in his first appearance since the 2008 Big Ten Tournament against Indiana. His best stretch came between the end of the first and the beginning of the fourth innings when he retired eight of nine batters.
The Nittany Lions' best chance came in the top of the first when they swatted three hits, but failed to cross the plate. The key play came when Aggies' right fielder Scott Arthur threw out sophomore Sean Deegan (Readington, N.J.), trying to reach third on junior Heath Johnson's (Alamagordo, N.M.) single to right field.
Freshman Steve Snyder (West Chester, Pa.) was the only Penn State player to pick up multiple hits as he went 2-for-3. The Lions' other hits came from junior Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.) and redshirt freshman Elliot Searer (Lewistown, Pa.), his second in as many at-bats this series.
After Penn State stranded runners, Texas A&M responded in the bottom of the first when Caleb Shofner's two-out double to left-center field scored Brodie Greene and Joe Patterson to make it 2-0.
The Aggies took advantage of a fourth-inning error for their third run of the game when Shofner crossed the plate after Joaquin Hinojosa's two-out RBI single.
Shofner hit his second RBI double of the game in the fifth to score Brodie Greene. Kenny Jackson followed with a single to right, scoring Shofner to make it 5-0.
Yet another two-out run gave A&M a 6-0 advantage as Arthur drove in Kevin Gonzalez with a sixth-inning single. Matt Juengel hit a two-out triple in the seventh inning, scoring Jackson for the Aggies' seventh run.
The Nittany Lions move on to Texas State where they will take on the Bobcats in a three-game series from Friday to Sunday. The Bobcats mark the second straight 2009 NCAA Tournament team on the Lions' schedule.
Season and individual game tickets are now available can be purchased online or over the phone. Please call 1-877-997-7453 or (814) 272-1711, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. for more information. Fans can also direct any additional questions or comments via phone, or by email (psubaseball@athletics.psu.edu).
Baseball camp information is now available. Call the Sports Camp Office at (814) 865-0561 or email them at SportCampInfo@outreach.psu.edu for more information.
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