Bombs away

Sluggers take three of four from Spartans in weekend hitfest

Everybody hits.

That was the theme this past weekend as the Penn State (14-13, 5-3 Big Ten) and Michigan State (11-14, 2-6) baseball teams combined for 86 hits in a four game series.

"I really believe, and coaches are starting to talk about how the country should go back to wood (bats)," Penn State coach Joe Hindelang said after the offensive onslaught issued by the two teams. "We hit seven home runs they hit four. That wouldn't happen with wood. I'm certainly pleased we scored enough runs to give our pitchers breathing room."

Game one on Friday was billed as the best pitching matchup in the entire country. Lion ace Nate Bump and Michigan State top hurler Mark Mulder faced-off. Mulder has been the subject of talks lately as the No. 1 overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in June's amateur draft.

Bump took a no-hitter through eight and two-thirds innings before giving up a single to Spartan first baseman Ryan Leson. Mulder lasted just five innings, giving up eight hits and seven runs while issuing five free passes. Mulder pitched four innings less than Bump, but only threw one less pitch, 118.

"First of all it's so hard to get a no-hitter," Hindelang said. "It's so hard. It was an 0-2 pitch and Nate would probably say that the only mistake he made was that pitch. I wanted him to get a no-hitter. It's a one-hitter against one of the premiere pitchers in the country. You can't get much better."

Penn State received another outstanding performance on the mound in the first game of Saturday's brisk doubleheader. Sophomore Dan Goebeler kept the Spartan bats in check while giving up three runs on six hits and fanning four en route to a 5-3 decision.

In game two Penn State trailed 11-1 going into the bottom of the sixth and then proceeded to rattle off eight runs to bring it within two with one inning left to play. But it was too little too late as Michigan State tacked on two more for a 13-9 victory, setting up yesterday's 21-8 barn burner.

The Spartans used five different pitchers and not one of them lasted more than two and a third innings.

"We have to get out pitching and defense back in order," Michigan State coach Ted Mahan said, "or we'll have a lot of games like this, which doesn't do you any good either. You just have to put it all together. We haven't even come close."