Wednesday, April 2, 1997

Sluggers stampede Bison in 21-4 victory

By GEOFF MOSHER
Collegian Sports Writer

With the bases loaded, Lion left fielder Michael Campo glared wide-eyed at the 1-2 pitch delivered by Bucknell's hurler Jason Pfannenbaecker, hoping he could send the pitch over the right field wall and into the record books.

Nittany Lion third baseman John Dacostino rounds third base. Dacistino scored five runs in last nights 21-4 romp over the Bucknell Bison. (Collegian Photo/Tracy Senycz - click for full size image)

With a stroke as smooth as Frank Thomas, Campo sent the baseball exactly where he hoped it would go. Problem was, it was an inch too short. Instead of blasting his fourth long ball of the day, Campo settled for a double off the right field fence, bringing in two more runs in Penn State's 21-4 come-from-behind win last night in the second game of the doubleheader against Bucknell (11-11-1). The Lions (13-14, 0-4 Big Ten) were forced to upend Bison leads in both games, coming back to win 12-6 in the first game.

After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning of game one, the Lions chipped away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first, another in the second and four more in the third. Penn State tacked on five more runs in the fifth and sixth innings which put the game away.

Down 3-0 in the third inning of the second game, Penn State gained momentum when the infield turned a 6-4-3 double play, getting hurler Joe Martin out of a jam. Campo then led off the bottom of the inning with his second homer of the day as Penn State cruised to a 10-run inning.

Campo couldn't have dreamed of having a night like last night. It's not often a player still trying to crack the starting rotation hits three home runs in one day. It wouldn't be outlandish to say his combined 4 hits in 8 at-bats, three dingers, and four runs scored were a suitable replacement for usual starter Dan Beers who was out with an ankle injury.

"It was unbelievable really," Campo said. "I was just seeing the ball really good and had the right swing today. For some reason, God was with me today."

Campo wasn't the only Lion truly on the ball yesterday. In fact, the whole Lion team was in the zone, bringing a new meaning to the phrase "everybody hits."

Right fielder John Dacostino went a combined 4-for-5 with an RBI and five runs scored. First baseman Carl Albrecht kicked in four hits, a home run and five RBIs and right fielder Jared Sadlowski added three hits, a homer, four runs scored and four RBIs.

Lion batters combined for 30 hits in 68 at-bats, a .441 batting average.

"It was definitely a hitter's game," Bucknell coach Gene Depew said, "the way the wind was blowing out like this. We didn't execute. The second game we were in it, then they had the big third inning. Then they got it and we couldn't turn it around."

Despite the offensive barrage, Lion coach Joe Hindelang is still extremely concerned with his team's performance. Noting that Bucknell is no way near the caliber of a Big Ten team, Hindelang said his team's sloppy defense and early deficit wouldn't get overlooked against a conference opponent as it did yesterday.

"The pitching we faced out in Michigan was nothing like we found today," he said. "I am still real concerned with the way we're playing. We need to sharpen our defense."