May 15, 2010
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Penn State baseball team fell victim to a dominant pitching performance by Minnesota's TJ Oakes, mustering only four hits in a 5-1 loss on Saturday afternoon at the Metrodome. Senior Louie Picconi (North Merrick, N.Y.) drove in the Lions' (21-27, 8-12 Big Ten) lone run via a fifth-inning single. Penn State looks to salvage the series finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Oakes was the story from the get-go, retiring the first 16 Penn State hitters. Among those outs were a number of sensational plays by the Gopher (24-27, 12-8 Big Ten) defense. Junior Michael Glantz (Marietta, Ga.) was robbed of two hits by right fielder Michael Kvasnicka while shortstop AJ Pettersen also robbed junior Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.) with a play deep in the hole.
Penn State finished with four hits on the day - by Picconi along with sophomores Sean Deegan (Readington, N.J.), Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Joey DeBernardis (Lake Zurich, Ill.). Deegan's hit was a triple, his fifth of the season to pull within one of the school's single-season record.
Freshman Steven Hill (Colleyville, Texas) threw 5.2 innings to keep the Lions in the game. In total, he allowed four runs while striking out five, one shy of a career-high.
For the second straight day, Minnesota scored quickly, this time plating two first-inning runs. After a Pettersen leadoff single, Andy Henkemeyer drove him in with a double to left-center field. A Kyle Kundson RBI single through the left side plated Henkemeyer to make it 2-0.
The Gophers added two more in the fourth behind a clutch bases loaded single by Michael Kvasnicka to score Matt Puhl and Pettersen. The single came on a 3-2, two-out pitch.
After Oakes tossed a perfect five innings, the Lions got to him for two hits and a run in the sixth to pull within 4-1. After a triple by Deegan that split the gap in left-center field, Picconi drove him in with a single up the middle.
Any momentum Penn State had gathered was halted in the eight when Minnesota added an insurance run to make it 5-1. Nick O'Shea hit a two-out double and Kurt Schlangen followed with a pinch-hit single up the middle.
Penn State wraps up its series at the Metrdome on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. After a Tuesday nonconference tilt at Villanova, the Nittany Lions' final home series of the year comes on May 20-22 against Michigan. 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.