If there was ever a true test of just who were the Penn State baseball team's most committed and passionate supporters, it came yesterday at Beaver Field at around 1:45.

That's about when the ninth inning of yesterday's series finale between the Lions and Purdue rolled around.

On the strength of nine fifth-inning runs, Purdue (11-12, Big Ten 2-2) had a rather commanding 18-2 lead and looked like a pretty safe bet to leave town with 2-2 split of the four-game series. They won the opener on Friday, but were swept in a doubleheader by the Lions (12-11, 2-2) on Saturday.

Oh, yeah, it was sort of cold out too. There's a quick rule to figure out the weather at Beaver Field. Take the current outside temperature in the rest of State College, and subtract about 40 degrees.

There wasn't much of a crowd to begin with and, needless to say, at the end of yesterday's game, the bleachers were pretty empty.

And no, those who toughed it out and stayed the whole game didn't see a miraculous Penn State comeback. The game ended 18-2, and the Lions had to settle for a split in their first Big Ten series of the season. It was a pretty sour way to end the weekend.

Maybe, yesterday was just some sort of punishment cast down by the baseball gods on Penn State fans for all their enjoyment on Saturday. It was downright balmy on Saturday, it had to have hit 50 degrees, and the Lions played some inspired baseball, sweeping the doubleheader 7-3 and 7-2.

After losing the series opener on Friday, 7-3, Saturday's doubleheader was absolutely crucial, and Penn State put together two of its finest performances of the season to date.

They got two complete games from their starters, Sean Stidfole in the first and Aaron Tressler in the second. And, maybe more importantly in the long run, they also hit in the clutch.

Friday's offensive performance was anemic, but Penn State more than made up for it Saturday, time and time again, coming up with big hits with runners in scoring position.

Up 2-1 in the bottom of the third in game two, the bases were loaded for second baseman Jim Leitgeb. He fell behind in the count 0-2, but showing admirable nerve and patience, he fought back to 3-2. Purdue pitcher Dan Sattler delivered and Leitgeb hit the game's biggest pitch into left field for a two-run single.

The very next batter, senior rightfielder Brett Showalter hit his first homerun since his freshman year and the game was effectively out of reach.

"I wasn't sure it was even going out," Showalter said. "It felt real good to hit that. I've had some tough times at the plate, but baseball's a game of failures. You just have to keep working hard."

The day before, after watching his team repeatedly squander opportunities to drive in runs, Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang called out his lineup.

"We keep having to ask our pitchers to go out and shut the other team down, and we can't keep doing that," Hindelang said.

The Lions hitters stepped up their game and, coupled with the starting pitching, everything came together.

"Any time you can get a lead and a comfort zone, everything's easier," Showalter said. "The pitchers are more confident and you're more relaxed in the field. Things just go smoother."

But, baseball's a fickle sport and it all came crashing down less than 24 hours later.

The Boilermakers had their way with the Lions pitching staff, hitting three homeruns and sending 15 men to the plate in the disastrous fifth.

"I don't know what you can say, I mean we lost 18-2," Hindelang said of yesterday's loss. "Our goal was to win three out of four, but Purdue fought hard to get the split, so now we have to sweep another team to make up for it. That's tough to do."