Cornell starting pitcher Dan Gala shocked the Penn State baseball team last year.

Then a junior, Gala allowed two runs over six innings and the Big Red completed a doubleheader sweep of the Nittany Lions at Cornell.

Yesterday, Gala took the mound again against the Lions, but looked nothing like the strong hurler from a year ago, getting chased in the second inning after giving up eight hits and nine runs, with six of them earned.

It was sweet revenge for the Lions who turned the tables on Gala and the Big Red, sweeping a home-opening doubleheader at Beaver Field, 2-1 in the opener and 9-1 over Gala in the second.

"On paper, we're supposed to always handle a team like Cornell," Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang said. "It's a scholarship program vs. a financial need program -- but it's baseball. You put a good pitcher on the mound and it levels the playing field. That's what happened in the first game."

The Lions (10-9) were stymied in that first game, as they were unable to mount much offense against Cornell lefty Tad Bardenwerper, but junior first baseman Clint Eury led a hit parade against Gala in the first two innings to blow the game open.

Eury hit a grand slam in the second to chase Gala, following up a two RBI double in the first, giving him a career high six RBI and two runs scored -- all before the second inning ended.

"I definitely didn't expect it at all," Eury said of his first grand slam in a Penn State uniform. "I was just trying to put the ball in play -- and try not to hit into a double play."

Eury said winning the first game seemed to give the Lions a boost for the second half of the doubleheader, enabling them to rough up Gala early.

"I was glad to see us make contact against Gala because we didn't at all last year through six innings," Hindelang said.

Both games of the doubleheader were slated to go seven innings, but strong pitching performances by Penn State's Jared Hopewell and Cornell's Bardenwerper sent the game into nine.

Third baseman Arin Gelletly hit a walk-off single with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to give the Lions a 2-1 victory. The hit was Gelletly's first of the season.

Cornell (3-12) was poised to break a 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth as Dan Parant led off with a single to chase Hopewell, bringing Eury in to pitch. The Big Red were able to sacrifice Parant over to third, but Eury struck out cleanup hitter Jon Finch to end the threat, setting the stage for Gelletly's heroics an inning later. Eury got the win in relief.

"I think you have to give [Bardenwerper] all the credit," Hindelang said. "When he went out of the game, it was like, 'Yes -- let's throw a party.' He was tough, crafty, and he had a good arm. So we were fortunate to win the first game."

The sweep puts the Lions above .500 heading into this weekend's Big Ten opening series -- a four game set against Purdue at Beaver Field.

"Any coach will say you want to be above .500," Hindelang said. "But more importantly, you want to play good baseball and correct mistakes after wins as to after losses."