The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Penn State nine that day. They had lost eight of their last 10 before hiking to Morgantown to play.
And while somewhere people smile, and somewhere children shout, today there is joy in Happy Valley, as mighty Bochna did not strike out.
Well, actually, he did once, but he also went five for eight in yesterday's two games against West Virginia including a home run to go along with three runs scored and five batted in as the Lions won 15-6 and 7-4.
In the first game, Penn State (12-15, 4-10) drew blood first, scoring two runs off Mountaineer starter John Cappa (1-1). West Virginia came back in the bottom of the first inning and scored one run off Denny Bair, who improved his record to 2-2.
From there Penn State rolled off 13 unanswered runs, scoring four in the third, three in the fourth and six in the fifth. West Virginia scored three runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth before John Maggiore came in to shut the Mountaineers down in the seventh.
The game was marred by errors as seven of the Lions 15 runs were unearned as well as two of the Mountaineers' six. West Virginia was equally abysmal in the pitching department issuing 15 walks while surrendering nine hits.
Other Penn State players with solid offensive games were second baseman Ryan Wheeler who went 1 for 1 and picked up three walks, and third baseman Chris Buzzi, who had two hits, scored three runs and knocked in two.
Martin Walsh (2-1) started the second game, pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs. But while Walsh may have struggled, Mountaineer pitcher Dan Barry (2-1) struggled even more, going three innings while giving up six runs.
Penn State once again scored first as they tallied one run in the first inning. And once again West Virginia answered, as it scored two in the bottom of teh first. But from there, the Lions took the lead, scoring three in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth. Maggiore finished this game also, blanking the Mountaineers in 2 2/3 innings.
The Lions had one more hit than in the first game, including doubles from Bochna, Eric Gates, Buzzi, Ray Werner (who went 2-4), Derek Ryder, and Shawn Reese (who went 2-3).
