It was barely mid-afternoon, but Sean Stidfole wore a five-o'clock shadow.

Stidfole, a freshman pitcher for the Penn State baseball team, made his first collegiate start yesterday, going the distance for the Nittany Lions in a 10-2 win over Big Ten rival Ohio State.

After the game, the only part of Stidfole's face visible under the brim of his tightly pulled-down hat was a broad smile and an unshaven chin.

He had every reason to smile. The freshman right hander needed only 105 pitches to shut down the potent Buckeyes' bats, holding the conference foe to just two runs, both unearned, in nine innings while striking out five and walking none.

Despite the cold, blustery conditions at Beaver Field, Stidfole had good command of his fastball, slider and curveball to take control of the game. Of the 34 batters he faced, Stidfole threw 19 first-pitch strikes.

"I thought the curveball was good in warm-ups, but I got out there and the slider was looking good so I threw that a lot," Stidfole said.

Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang also said that Stidfole's fastball and curveball were big weapons in the freshman's arsenal.

"Sean had command of his two pitches," Hindelang said. "It got them off balance.

Ohio State got both runners across the plate in the fifth inning on doubles by shortstop Brett Garrard and right fielder Wes Schirtzinger, but was unable to advance any of its other seven baserunners past second base. Stidfole faced the minimum three batters in five of the nine innings, while facing more than four hitters in only two at-bats.

"The way I thought about it in high school is you're gonna have one bad inning a game" Stidfole said about the fifth frame. "That happened to be my one bad inning."

Stidfole's first start came almost as much by chance as by talent. Penn State junior right-hander Jim Farrell was originally slated to start yesterday's game, but was forced into an extended relief appearance in Friday's game, throwing 3.0 innings.

So the call came for Stidfole, who had yet to start a game in his college career and who had only 11.1 innings of work for the Lions this season. The Duncannon native, who says he's superstitious about not shaving before games, had allowed six earned runs and 11 hits while walking and striking out four in his previous four appearances.

Reveling in the joy of a win, Stidfole said that only the upcoming practice week would determine whether he is added as the fourth starter. Both Farrell and junior right-hander Aaron Tressler -- the usual number four and number three starters, respectively -- struggled from the mound this weekend, opening up the possibility of their younger teammate's addition to the rotation.

While Stidfole said that most pitchers would prefer the added confidence of being a starter and the stability that comes with knowing exactly when you'll be called on to pitch, the uncertainty of not being a starter won't temper his love of being on the mound.

"I think I had more confidence coming out at the start of the game," Stidfole said smiling. "It's something we'll have to wait and see. If I'm the closer tomorrow, it doesn't matter."