Throwing smoke
Sluggers' pitching looks dead, then rebounds in pair of wins

By DONNIE COLLINS
Collegian Staff Writer

Finally, the Penn State baseball team's consistent pitching staff collapsed Saturday.

Or so it seemed.

After allowing a season-high 16 runs in a 16-10 loss to William & Mary Saturday, the Nittany Lions rebounded yesterday to sweep a pair of games from the Tribe, 5-1 and 7-2, in the first-ever games at newly-constructed Plumeri Park in Williamsburg, Va.

Penn State coach Joe Hindelang entered the weekend with more concerns about his team's sluggish offense than he had about the pitching staff, which carried a 3.32 ERA.

But even though the Lions' slumbering bats awoke to the tune of 10 runs Saturday, the pitching didn't prove equal to the task, as Penn State (8-7) squandered a 5-0 lead. After trimming their deficit to 5-3, the Tribe (17-8) scored four runs in the fifth inning, six more in the sixth and three in the seventh to take a 16-8 edge.

In what turned out to be a nightmarish game for the Penn State pitching staff, losing pitcher Dan Goebler (2-3) was roughed up for eight runs, seven of which were earned, in five innings. Relief pitcher Peter Yodis gave up eight runs, four earned, on eight hits in just an inning and a third.

But with two games remaining in the series, this was no time for the hurlers to get nervous.

"That was the first time we've given up 10 runs this year," senior reliever Andy Wager said. "We've been really consistent. It was just a bad outing for a few guys. (Yesterday), everyone who came out did what he had to do."

Wager, in particular, made his mark in both of Penn State's wins. In the second game, which began Saturday night but was completed yesterday after it was halted in the top of the sixth inning due to darkness, Wager fired two innings of scoreless relief. He walked one and struck out a batter, while earning his first save of the season in relief of starter Dan McCall (1-2). Wager also hurt William & Mary with his bat, ripping a two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.

The heroics, however, didn't stop there. In the final game, Wager (1-1) earned his first win of the season by tossing five shutout innings. He allowed just three base runners and struck out seven Tribe hitters.

Wager's efforts on the mound supported a 14-hit attack for the Lions. Right fielder Dan Beers and first baseman Joe Puliafico each went 3-for-4, while center fielder Michael Campo, designated hitter Donnie Wright and second baseman Eric Spadt added two hits apiece. One of Spadt's hits was a home run.

"I'm pleased with taking two of three from William & Mary, and also coming back after losing the first game," Hindelang said.

Hindelang also was satisfied with the way his offense rebounded after starting the season in a slump. Lion hitters had considerable difficulty making contact throughout their first 13 games, as evidenced by the team's 119 whiffs.

But as this past weekend progressed, Hindelang saw signs that the problem was disappearing.

"In the first game, we struck out 12 times again," Hindelang said. "The next game we won, we had six strikeouts, which is good. In the last game, we struck out five times, and we won. I'm pleased with that."