May 18, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State baseball team closed out the 2013 season against Michigan State on Saturday afternoon, falling 2-1 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions end with a 14-36 overall record with a 4-20 mark in the Big Ten, while the Spartans move to 33-17 and 12-9. The Lions' Senior Day was marked by celebrating the careers of Evan Dixon, Neal Herring, Steven Hill, Cody Lewis, Luis Montesinos, Matt Paradise, Elliot Searer, Dave Walkling and manager Sam Sharf.
The Lions were led by Hill on the mound, concluding his stellar Penn State career by firing 6.2 scoreless innings with just four hits allowed. The veteran ends with a season ERA of 3.39 and 45 strikeouts, moving him to a career total of 206 for eighth in the PSU record book. Hill also now sits at second in all-time innings pitched with 342.2, third in all-time starts with 49 and eighth in all-time appearances with 62. Relieving Hill to close out the seventh inning, Walkling threw four pitches to retire the final batter, leaving the redshirt senior with a 3.99 ERA and a .221 opposing batting average. Lewis closed out the contest, going for 2.0 innings with two hits and two earned runs allowed. The fellow redshirt senior ends the season with a 2.67 ERA and a .202 opposing batting average in a team-high 20 appearances.
Mick VanVossen earned the win for the Spartans, firing 8.0 innings with four hits and one earned run allowed. The sophomore walked two and struck out five before he was relieved by freshman Justin Alleman. Alleman earned his seventh save of the season, holding the Lions hitless in the ninth inning by striking out the side.
Searer |
An extremely defensive contest, both squads were held scoreless until the bottom of the sixth. Moving Searer to second with his fourth bunt single of the season, freshman James Coates (Girard, Ohio) collected his 50th hit for his 15th multiple-hit game. A sac bunt from Montesinos would move runners to second and third as J.C. Coban (Boca Raton, Fla.) stepped up to the plate, with the sophomore allowing Searer to advance home on a 6-3 groundout. It was the senior's 22nd run of the season and the 88th of his career, while Coban tallied his 26th RBI of the season.
Paradise |
Despite the Lions holding the lead for the next two innings, the Spartans would post two runs in the top of the ninth to steal back the momentum. With Ryan Richardson resting on first, redshirt sophomore Jimmy Pickens posted a hard-hit triple to the right field corner to bring home his sophomore counterpart. As sophomore Anthony Cheky reached on a fielder's choice moments later, Pickens crossed home plate to break the tie and take a 2-1 lead for Michigan State. Alleman entered the contest in the bottom of the ninth, striking out the side to seal the win for the Spartans.
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