It's produced some of the highest highs and the lowest lows.

Relief pitching has been responsible for some of the most pressure and most excitement at all levels of baseball through the year. It has also been the pin on which many teams' title hopes hinged.

For the Penn State baseball team, a talented stable in the bullpen could be the difference between a berth in the Big Ten tournament or an early offseason.

Those relievers were at their best last week in the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Invitational Tournament and showed a marked improvement from the first series of the season.

In the six games in Fresno, Calif., Nittany Lions relievers held their opponents to just five earned runs in 22.1 innings of work, while striking out 14 and walking just one.

That was a sharp contrast from the first three games of the season at No. 4 Arizona State, all Penn State losses. In Tempe, Ariz., the Lions bullpen surrendered 24 hits and 20 earned runs in just 16.1 innings of work.

While the Lions pitching staff improved its control on the whole -- Penn State pitchers lowered their walks and hit batters from 12.4 per nine innings against the Sun Devils to 3.3 on the West Coast -- perhaps the most stunning transformation was that of junior right-hander Aaron Tressler.

In his first start of the season against Arizona State, Tressler's line was staggering -- 1.2 innings pitched, six hits, 10 runs, five walks, one strikeout and one hit batter.

In a night-and-day transformation, Tressler may have been the most overlooked pitcher in the Lions rotation at the Johnny Quik Tournament.

Making two appearances, Tressler gave up just one run and six hits in 6.2 innings while striking out four and walking just one.

Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang said that Tressler would continue to split time between the bullpen and the rotation.

He also said that it's important that the seniors and juniors step up to lead the way.

"Seniors and juniors need to shoulder the responsibility," Hindelang said. "If, in the meantime you get a good performance out of a freshman or a sophomore, it's just icing on the cake."

One of those shouldering the responsibility is junior right-hander Jared Hopewell, who has been downright dominating out of the bullpen. In 6.2 innings this season, Hopewell has yet to give up a run. In fact, the Watsontown native has allowed just 3 hits and walked just one batter. He said that while he has been a starter nearly all his life, he is happy to be on the mound, and that the relief role allows a pitcher to just let loose.

"You're only asked to be counted on for one time through the order," Hopewell said. "You can throw everything and not have to hold anything back."

Penn State pitching coach Randy Ford said that one of the qualities he values in a reliever is elasticity. With a pitcher having to go back to the mound on fewer days rest, he said, it's important for him to recuperate quickly.

However, the mentality is much trickier to describe. Ford said that a reliever must be able to stay focused when it's his turn to pitch.

"[We like] guys that can come in and throw strikes right away," Ford said. "They have to be able to throw the proper pitches at the proper time and be able to pitch in certain situations."

And, as former Phillies reliever Mitch Williams knows all too well, those situations can sometimes be tough to take.