April 2, 2010
Box Score | Season Stats | SATURDAY (4:05 p.m. ET): | 1450 AM (ESPN Radio) | | Twitter
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Penn State baseball team opened Big Ten play on Friday by scoring a season-high 16 runs on 18 hits to top Illinois in convincing fashion, 16-9 at Illinois Field. The Nittany Lions (11-13, 1-0 Big Ten) hit a season-high four home runs, led by two from junior Mario Eramo (Houston, Texas), on the way to their first Big Ten opening victory since 2006. In total, six different Lion hitters posted multiple hits, including four with three or more hits led by sophomore Jordan Steranka's (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 4-for-4 performance. Penn State returns to the field on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET in game two of the weekend series.
"All facets of our game were on tonight," said Steranka. "We have a chance to win the series tomorrow, so we're going to come out and play hard."
Friday evening's win can be viewed via tape delay on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Penn State's 16-run outburst was the most since last Apr. 5 at Michigan when it topped the Wolverines, 16-5. It also stands as the Lions' most runs in a Big Ten opener while tying for the most runs Penn State has ever scored against Illinois.
Eramo, Steranka, sophomore Joey DeBernardis (Lake Zurich, Ill.) and junior Michael Glantz (Marietta, Ga.) combined to go 13-for-19 on the evening. Eramo was 3-for-6 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored. It marked the second time that a Penn State player has hit two or more long balls this season.
"The game of baseball doesn't change," said Eramo. "You just come out here and play it right. Luckily, I got the bat on the ball twice and it happened to go out of the yard."
Playing in his home state, DeBernardis continued to shine, going 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI and three runs scored. He has now recorded multiple hits in 10 of his last 15 games with an incredible 26 hits in that span.
Steranka reached base safely in all six plate appearances, going 4-for-4 to tie a career-high, along with a walk, hit by pitch, double, home run, RBI and four runs scored (which also tied a career-high). He now has five long balls on the season and two in as many games.
"I think it's the first time I've ever been on the bases six times," he said. "I'm seeing the ball well. We played well tonight, but it's more important that we got the first Big Ten win."
Glantz chipped in with a strong 3-for-5 effort, including a double, two RBI and a run scored. The double came in the third inning when he came within inches of his first-career grand slam.
Not to be forgotten, both junior Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.) and freshman Steve Snyder (West Chester, Pa.) contributed multiple hits. Heath finished 2-for-5 with a double, home run, four RBI and three runs scored to extend his career-high hitting streak to 11 games.
Senior pitcher Mike Wanamaker (Upper Nyack, N.Y.) struggled at the onset, but bounced back to limit the damage and toss a season-high 7.2 innings for his second win of the season.
"He's a competitor out there," said Heath. "You love to catch a guy like that. He doesn't give in no matter what happens. You know you'll be in the game when he's out there."
The scoring started quickly in the top of the first when Heath put the Lions up with a long three-run home run off the batter's eye in straightaway center field.
Illinois got a run right back in the bottom of the inning behind a sacrifice fly from catcher Aaron Johnson to score Willie Argo. Then a Bill Charvat second-inning RBI groundout pulled the Illini to within 3-2.
Penn State answered with three more in the top of the third to take a 6-2 advantage. With the bases loaded and one out, Glantz hit a rocket off the left-center field wall. The double plated DeBernardis and Steranka for the Lions' fourth and fifth runs. Redshirt freshman Elliot Searer (Lewistown, Pa.) then hit an RBI groundout to score Eramo.
Brandon Hohl drove in Illinois' third run via a two-out RBI single to make it 6-3.
Snyder drove in two in the fifth, but the Illini quickly came back with four in the bottom of the inning to pull within 8-7. Craig Lutes hit a two-run double while Pete Cappetta and Charvat followed with back-to-back RBI singles.
Just as quickly as Illinois scored, the Nittany Lions answered right back to make it 11-7 when Eramo homered to center to plate DeBernardis and Steranka.
Penn State added two more in the seventh to open up a 13-7 advantage. A DeBernardis RBI groundout plated Snyder to make it 12-7 while Steranka followed with the Lions' third home run of the game, a solo shot to center.
The Nittany Lions added three more in the ninth, highlighted by Eramo's second home run of the game. Illinois scored one in the ninth, but redshirt senior David Lutz (West Chester, Pa.) closed the door for the victory.
The Lions close out the series with a single game on Saturday and Sunday before returning to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Tuesday for a nonconference matchup with Bucknell. Gametime is set for 6:35 p.m. Purchase your tickets today!
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.
Follow Penn State baseball on Twitter: www.twitter.com/psubaseball.