The Penn State baseball team was in dire need of a win this weekend at Iowa, if nothing more than to prove that last year's 32-24-1 Big Ten championship team was no fluke.

The Michigan Wolverines embarrassed Penn State last weekend in Ann Arbor, sweeping the Nittany Lions in four straight games and leaving Penn State searching for answers.

Lion righthander Nate Bump got the start last Friday, taking the mound with a 4-3 record and a 5.27 ERA.

But Bump knew he was better than his record indicated, and he showed the Hawkeyes (8-15, 5-6) just how much better, throwing a complete game seven hitter to lead Penn State (15-15, 2-5 Big Ten) to an 11-5 victory. It was Penn State's first win in the Big Ten this season. Penn State wrapped up the series by splitting two games yesterday -- dropping the first 7-6, and winning the second 21-15.

"That was the first time he has really had his good stuff this year," Penn State first baseman Carl Albrecht said. "When Nate's throwing the whole team has a lot of confidence in him."

The two teams were supposed to play a doubleheader last Saturday, but rain forced the games to be postponed a day. Despite continued windy and snowy conditions, the two games were completed, and the last game of the series was canceled.

In the 21-15 slugfest, Penn State banged out 20 hits against four different Hawkeye pitchers. Albrecht hit for the cycle in the game, finishing up with five RBIs.

"The wind was blowing out to right," Albrecht said. "The whole team hit the ball really well."

Albrecht said he didn't concentrate on the cycle during the game.

"After the double I kind of figured it out in my head," Albrecht said.

Hawkeye slugger Brian Mitchell struggled Friday against Bump, but broke out yesterday in the second game clouting a pair of home runs to go along with six RBIs. Mitchell has now hit 11 long balls on the season.

Seven different Hawkeyes homered in the three-game set, but errors proved to be Iowa's downfall. The Hawkeyes committed 16 errors in the three games, compared to Penn State's six.

Albrecht said the team had a shot to win yesterday's first game but they let the game slip away.

"The two wins are real important," Albrecht said. "We really didn't accomplish our goal, but it gets us back on track."