Sluggers, Spartans split series

By BRAD YOUNG
Collegian Sports Writer

Behind the sizzling bat of first baseman Phil Bertolotti and the strong pitching of Tom Billek, the Penn State baseball team (11-17-1, 4-4 Big Ten) swept a doubleheader from Michigan State yesterday to leave East Lansing with a split of its four-game weekend series against the Spartans (12-9, 5-3).

The wins, coupled with two over Ohio State last weekend, give Penn State four triumphs against two teams that are expected to be serious contenders for the Big Ten title this season.

"This and last weekend we sent a big message to the rest of the conference," Penn State Assistant Coach Dave Hursch said. "We've shown that we're going to be a force to be reckoned with."

Bertolotti was the biggest force for Penn State yesterday. He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in a 5-1 Penn State win in game one of yesterday's twin bill. His two hits accounted for one-third of the Lion offense, which could muster only six base knocks against Michigan State starting pitcher Trevor Harvey. But six errors killed the Spartans, as just one of Penn State's runs was earned.

Billek made sure that the gift-wrapped runs Michigan State handed the Lions would be enough. Coming into the game, he had not allowed an opponent to cross home plate in his previous two starts, a scoreless-inning streak stretching 14 innings. The streak was stopped in bottom of the fourth, but it was the only run Billek would surrender.

The senior righthander (3-2) went the distance, allowing just six hits, walking one and striking out three to collect his team-high third win of the season and establish himself as the ace of Penn State's staff.

"He is getting to the point where he is almost unhittable," Hursch said. "His performance today really fired us up for the second game."

In the nightcap, Bertolotti was again the offensive hero. He went 3-for-4, scored a run scored and drove in another, spearheading a Penn State attack that piled up 15 hits in outslugging Michigan State 11-7.

"He is, as they say on ESPN, en fuego," Hursch said of Bertolotti's weekend burst with the bat.

Michigan State was swinging the hot lumber coming into the weekend. The Spartans were hitting .321 as a unit in leaping to first place in the Big Ten standings. They kept that momentum going in a doubleheader sweep Saturday.

In game one, Michigan State slapped nine hits and scored seven times in the first two innings en route to a 10-2 pasting of the Lions.

In game two, an eight-run fifth inning proved too much for a last-ditch Penn State rally to overcome. A two-run triple by Bertolotti in the seventh pulled the Lions within one, 8-7, but Spartan reliever Pat Hachenski retired shortstop Shawn Reese with Bertolotti, and the tying run, standing on third base.