Nov. 23, 2015
Box Score | Box Score | Photo Gallery courtesy John Curley Center for Sports Journalism
HAVANA -- A two-run first inning was enough for Industriales, as it fended off a late rally by Penn State to defeat the Nittany Lions, 2-1, in an international friendly baseball game Monday afternoon in Latin American Stadium.
Centerfielder Austin Riggins (Greer, S.C.) drove in designated hitter Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) for Penn State's lone run in the seventh inning. Right fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) had Penn State's first hit in the third inning. First baseman Tyler Kendall (Boynton Beach, Fla.) and catcher Alex Malinsky (Apex, N.C.) led the Nittany Lions at the plate, both going 2-for-4.
Industriales used seven different pitchers, scattering nine hits. LHP Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa,) and RHP Nick Distasio (Oley, Pa.) pitched four innings each and combined to allow just five hits.
Penn State Senior Associate Athletic Director for Finance/Business Rick Kaluza, who has experience umpiring in the Centre County region and Penn State club baseball, was allowed by Cuban baseball officials to umpire second base. It is believed he is the first American to umpire a game involving a Cuban National Series team. He enjoyed the customary fifth inning coffee break for the umpiring crew. The four-person crew also included a female umpire, Janet Moreno Mendinueta.
With the game, Penn State became the first NCAA Division I team to compete against a Cuban National Series team, the first U.S. baseball team to play in Cuba since restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba, the second NCAA team to play in Cuba since restoration of diplomatic ties (Coastal Carolina men's basketball, August 2015) and the fifth NCAA Division I baseball team to compete in post-revolutionary Cuba
The game began similar to Sunday's, with rain coming down just as the pregame ceremonies were to begin. The rain was not as heavy as it was Sunday though, and Penn State lined up along the first base line led by a young Cuban girl carrying an "Estados Unidos" banner and Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.) carrying the U.S. flag. Industriales lined the third base line in a similar fashion carrying the Cuban colors. The Cuban national anthem was played first, followed by the American national anthem.
Penn State was supported in the stands by the Center for Marti Studies, the academic institution Penn State previously partnered with. Penn State coaches and players applauded the fans following the game and received cheers from the Cuban crowd, with at least one waving small U.S. flags. The crowd was decidedly pro Industriales, but in general cheered great baseball plays regardless of team.
"I'm really proud of our guys; I thought our guys battled," said Penn State head coach Rob Cooper. "I thought the pitchers from both sides, Industriales and our two guys, Lehman and Distastio, did a great job. We swung the bat and had some opportunities, but we just have to figure out a way to get through.
"Overall, our guys played hard, they competed, and again, you're playing a really prestigious team like Industriales. So to play them in foreign country and have a game like that, I am really proud of our kids."
In the first inning, Lehman surrendered a walk to the leadoff batter, and centerfielder Carlos Tabares followed with a bloop single into shallow left centerfield. Both advanced into scoring position on a groundout. Left fielder Andres Hernandez followed with a sacrifice fly to score the first Industriales run, and an error allowed the second run to score unearned.
Lehman retired the side in the second inning, struck out a pair in the third and used a diving catch by Riggins to end the fourth. He left the game after the inning, with a line of three hits, two runs (one earned), two walks and two strikeouts. Distasio pitched the final four innings, allowing just two hits.
For Penn State offensively, Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.) drew a walk in the first inning and Riggins did as well in the second before Bowersox recorded Penn State's first hit in the third inning -- a double just inside third base. Bowersox advanced to third base on a fly out, diving head first into third base to avoid the tag.
The Lions got on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning. Riotto led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a balk, the second of the day called against an Industriales pitcher. Riggins tried to sacrifice him to third but failed twice to fall into an 0-2 count. He delivered with a hard-hit bouncer up the middle to score Riotto.
Double plays in the seventh and eighth innings prevented Penn State from scoring again though. Malinsky singled with two outs in the ninth, but Juan Penalver was able to earn a strikeout to end the game.
The game was broadcast nationally on Telerebelde.
"The coolest thing for me is that we're in a different country, language barrier, everything is completely different from what it is in the States, but to come out here on the field and it's just baseball," said Riotto. "I didn't think it would be like that where I could just drown out everything that was going on and the fact that I was in a different place."
Before the game, the team toured the Center for Marti Studies and listened to a lecture on the U.S.-Cuba relations.
The team will continue its academic schedule Tuesday before returning to Latin American Stadium Wednesday to challenge the defending Cuban National Series Champions, Ciego de Ãvila, starting at 10 a.m.