March 15, 2013
By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After a tough start to the 2013 season, Penn State (5-9) emerged from an eight-game road trip over Spring Break posting some of the best offense the team has seen this year.
Baseball is a game of highs and lows. Since the season began, Penn State has struggled to establish a rhythm at the plate. Putting runs on the board early wasn't the problem, as the Nittany Lions have scored first in 10 of their 14 games thus far, but the team was lacking consistency.
It was early in the season and the players had been practicing indoors while balancing a prolonged away schedule that kept them out of their routine. Nevertheless, Penn State made no excuses and the team continued to focus on the fundamentals day in and day out. When the Spring Break trip arrived, the opportunity to convert hard work into results arrived with it.
The Nittany Lions found their rhythm on offense midway through the road trip during a pair of setbacks at the University of Houston (13-4). Penn State battled in both contests, coming from behind after trailing 8-2 in the first game, before falling 14-8, and dropping the second game 15-5 after leading 4-1 in the second inning.
Despite the outcomes, the Nittany Lions remained positive and rebounded with a series win at Houston Baptist (6-9).
"I think baseball is a game with a lot of ups and downs and it's managing the downs that matters most," said sophomore shortstop Taylor Skerpon. "We had a couple let downs against Houston and I think we did a very good job of rebounding the next weekend."
Prior to game one against the Huskies, the coaches rallied their team and told the players to relax and have fun, which is exactly what the Penn State did. The offense scored quickly and efficiently as the Nittany Lions plated a combined 27 runs on 44 hits with a collective .372 batting average during the series.
"I think we were just clicking," said senior second baseman Luis Montesinos on the performance. "We were doing everything we needed to do. We were bunting, we were executing the hit-and-run; we were doing it all."
In practice, the coaches have been focusing on the fundamentals of small ball on offense, which involves getting runners on base, moving them into scoring position, and closing with timely hits and smart base running. Execution is crucial and the players need to hit consistently and strategically.
"It's about execution," said assistant coach Eric Folmar. "The reality is when you're playing small ball, guys have to handle the bat and they have to execute."
Manufacturing runs was the goal and Penn State executed superbly against Houston Baptist. The Nittany Lions scored at least one run in 13 of the 27 innings during the series. Four of their 27 total runs were a result of two home runs and 23 were produced through effective base running and timely hitting.
Veterans stepped into the leadership role as Montesinos led the offense with six RBIs, three runs scored, and a .462 batting average and Snyder followed suit with four RBIs, five runs scored, and a .384 clip over the three-game span.
Skerpon, who leads the team in batting average (.370) and is tied for the lead in RBIs (10), continued his impressive performance. The sophomore went 6-for-12 at the plate with two RBIs and five runs scored.
The most important aspect Penn State can take from the series with Houston Baptist, and their spring trip in general, is confidence. The Nittany Lions know what the offense is capable of when the team executes. When the players believe in themselves and each other, that mentality carries into their performance.
"When everyone's hitting, it builds confidence," said Snyder. "You trust the guy behind you, you trust the guy in front of you and when you trust everyone on the team it's all going to come together."
If a team is productive at the plate, then it builds confidence in the pitching staff, as well.
"When I'm on the mound, there's nothing better than putting up a zero and then having the offense score one or two runs each inning just to give you more confidence," said junior pitcher Greg Welsh.
Playing eight games in ten days was a feat in its own, but it gave the players a chance to play a lot of baseball and gain valuable experience. The Nittany Lions demonstrated that they could compete on the national stage and came away with a 4-4 record after facing a challenging group of opponents including Stephen F. Austin (8-8), Texas San Antonio (12-5), Nebraska-Omaha (2-7), Houston and Houston Baptist.
"I think these away games showed that we could play with anyone," said Snyder. "If we play our game both offensively and defensively, we can compete with anyone in the country."
Penn State is back in action on Saturday with a doubleheader at Temple (4-9). The Nittany Lions will look to ride the momentum gained from Spring Break following a week of light practice, rest and recuperation. Game one is slated for Noon.
--NITTANY LIONS--