Rookie masterpiece

Freshman walk-on Pete Yodis hurls three-hitter in debut

Rare in baseball is a pitcher who can put together a masterful performance in his first-ever collegiate start.

Penn State pitcher Pete Yodis, though, defied the odds and shined in his debut as a starter last week against Miami of Ohio. The freshman right-hander mesmerized the Red Hawks, tossing a three-hit complete game in the Nittany Lions' 13-1 victory.

"I expected to throw well, but I was a little surprised to have a no-hitter going into the ninth," Yodis said. "I tried not to think about the no-hitter in the ninth, but in the back of my mind was trying to get the inning over with quickly instead of focusing on the batter. That's probably why I gave up a few hits."

Yodis did not blow Miami away, striking out only three batters, but he tied the Red Hawks in knots the entire game. Yodis forced Miami to ground into one out after another. Through eight innings only two hitters managed to get balls out of the infield, two harmless fly outs to center field.

"I felt good," Yodis said. "I wasn't overpowering but I was able to hit a lot of spots and got a lot of ground outs."

The only thing more impressive than Yodis' three-hitter was the way he handled the pressure of making his first start. The Buckingham native showed the resolve of a seasoned veteran in shutting down Miami.

"Sometimes you get nervous and don't pitch like you're capable of," Lion pitching coach Randy Ford said. "But Pete was very poised and calm and threw well."

Before his gem against the Red Hawks Yodis was used as a reliever. His strong showing, however, has earned him a spot in the starting rotation. Sunday he will make his second start in game one of a doubleheader at LaSalle.

Earning a spot in the rotation is a great accomplishment for someone who did not receive any scholarship offers to play baseball.

Despite putting together a stellar career at Central Bucks East High School, Yodis was not heavily recruited by any college. He did not let the oversight bother him, though, and set out to make Penn State as a walk-on last fall. After out-pitching the competition Yodis convinced the Lions he was Div. I material.

"He was easy to pick out of the masses," Ford said. "He came in and knew how to pitch. A couple of walk-ons make the team every year and sometimes they go on to become impact players."

Getting overlooked in high school now serves as an inspiration to Yodis. The chance to prove everyone wrong remains in the back of Yodis' mind every time he takes the mound.

"Walking on to the team gives you a little bit of motivation," Yodis said. "Being the underdog fires you up."

A fact Miami knows all too well.