Sluggers take two from Bison

By DONNIE COLLINS
Collegian Staff Writer

Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang entered yesterday's doubleheader with Bucknell searching for a stopper.

All he wanted was one of his starting pitchers to take the mound and remain in control throughout the game.

Unfortunately for Hindelang, he didn't get his wish.

What he got instead was a dominating performance from the Nittany Lions' bats, en route to a two-game sweep of the Bison, 11-7 and 17-16, at Beaver Field.

After running away with the first game, it didn't take Penn State long to find itself in a nearly insurmountable hole in the nightcap.

Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the third inning, the Bison went on a stampede. Penn State starting pitcher Greg Arnold was chased from the game after walking the leadoff hitter, and reliever Mike Watson was greeted rudely by Bucknell designated hitter Frank Fresconi, who drilled a game-tying two-run homer.

Watson proceeded to allow hits to the next three Bucknell hitters before being relieved by right-hander Rob Green. Five hitters later, Green, who was making his Penn State debut, allowed the Bison's second home run of the inning -- left fielder Mike McCarthy's second three-run blast in the game's first three innings.

After the offensive onslaught, the Bison led 12-5. But the wind was blowing out of Beaver Field, and the bats are still made of aluminum.

With that in mind, the Lions knew even a nine-run Bucknell third inning was not impossible to overcome.

"It just didn't seem like it was actually happening," Penn State shortstop Chris Wright said. "Nine runs in one inning was just unbelievable.

"But we knew we could come back."

Thanks to two runs in the fourth inning and seven more in the fifth, the Lions proved they could do just that.

Down by a mere run, 15-14, in the bottom of the sixth, Penn State got offensive. Wright's first career home run -- a two-run shot to right field -- capped the comeback for the Lions. Third baseman Shawn Fagan followed Wright by sealing the Bisons' fate with a hulking blast over the center field wall, which put the Lions ahead for good, 17-15.

Along with Fagan and Wright -- who combined to go 5-for-8, score six runs and drive in seven -- catcher Joe Puliafico also helped to key the Lions' rally with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Designated hitter Chris Netwall and left fielder Scott Hamilton each chipped in with a pair of hits.

"To come back from eight runs down against anyone," Hindelang said, "it's an unbelievable thing."

In the opening contest, Netwall and shortstop John Richmond both went 4-for-4, and Fagan drove in four runs to lead an offense that helped Penn State to an insurmountable 11-4 lead after six innings. Three of Fagan's four RBIs came on a three-run home run in the Lions' five-run sixth. Netwall also homered.

Right-hander Justin Nash earned the victory in his collegiate debut. Nash, who was a 42nd-round draft pick of the New York Yankees last summer, looked impressive at times in his 4 1/3 innings, allowing just one run before tiring in the fifth inning. Reliever Andy Wager pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to pick up his second save of the season.

Despite his team's domination on the scoreboard, Hindelang saw need for improvement, especially on the base paths, where the Lions ran themselves into four outs in the first three innings.

"We didn't play well the first game, as a team, in terms of base running," Hindelang said. "If you don't play well, and you win, it's a feather in your cap."