Feb. 18, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State baseball team (0-2) had a tough 4-1 setback to the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday evening. The Nittany Lions squandered out seven hits, including three doubles. Penn State's pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts in the game.
Senior Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) upped his batting average to .500 through the first two games after having a strong 3-for-4 performance with a double. After having a tough day in the field on Friday, the Nittany Lions were clean defensively Saturday, having an errorless performance.
West Virginia struck from the very beginning, as Matt Frazier connected on a two-run homer to center field to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead. Despite giving up the homerun, junior starting pitcher John Walter (Haddonfield, N.J.) settled down, striking out seven batters in the four innings he pitched.
Penn State got on the board in the third inning. Sophomore Zach Ell (Plains, Pa.) ripped a double down the left field line with one out. Then with two outs, junior Luis Montesinos (Miami, Fla.) slapped one the other way down the right field line to score Ell and cut into the West Virginia lead, making the score 2-1.
West Virginia would up its lead to 3-1 in the fourth inning on an RBI single.
Sophomore Tim Dunn (Newport Beach, Calif.) would come in to relieve Walter. Dunn was phenomenal on the mound, punching out six batters in 3.2 innings, while giving up just two hits and one earned run.
Junior Neal Herring (West Chester, Pa.) came in to relieve Dunn in the eighth inning. Herring was solid, going 1.1 innings and striking out two batters. Penn State left a total of six runners on base.
Penn State continues action tomorrow as it takes on Cincinnati in a 10 a.m. start. Junior Steven Hill (Colleyville, Texas) is expected to make the start for the Nittany Lions. Hill was 6-5 last year with an ERA of 2.57.
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