In the desert of Tucson, Ariz., the Arizona State Sun Devils were too hot for the Penn State baseball team.

The Nittany Lions (4-16) finished up their challenging non-conference schedule by being swept by the No. 17 Sun Devils (21-7) losing 8-5, 15-5 and 9-7 this weekend.

"We played tough. We didn't let up. We played nine innings," Penn State coach Robby Wine said. "They were in the home park, home surroundings -- we had a lot of things against us."

The series began with a nip-and-tuck battle Friday night, with the Lions jumping out to the early lead. Penn State's four-run second inning began inconspicuously with a single by junior second baseman Jim Leitgeb, followed by two fly outs. With the inning on the verge of ending, the Lions caught a break on a wild pitch by ASU freshman hurler Ike Davis, which advanced Leitgeb to second.

Lance Thompson knocked in the final two runs of the inning with a single through the left side of the infield. Penn State led 5-2 at that point.

Then it was the Sun Devils turn to show why they made it to Omaha last season for the College World Series. ASU scored the final six runs, and its relief pitching held the Penn State offense to only three hits in the next seven innings.

"They threw their whole arsenal at us," Wine said. "They knew they needed to win that game. Offensively, we just didn't make adjustments."

The Sun Devils completely dominated the Lions pitching staff for the first five innings of the second game of the series. ASU scored 12 runs before the Lions removed the zero from their side of the scoreboard. Sophomore Mark Wyner and junior Steve Cline were the recipients of the beating from the Sun Devils. Both pitchers combined to pitch five innings, giving up 13 runs on 16 hits.

"We got a lot accomplished [in game two]," Wine said, referring to the aspect of young players seeing playing time. "They got a couple of hits and we really needed to see that. It was good for them."

In the final game, the Lions dug themselves an early, five-run hole. Then the offense came alive in the fifth inning, as it did during game one.

Thompson was once again involved in the outburst, singling home the leadoff hitter Matt Cavagnaro, then later scoring the Lions' fourth run of the inning. Thompson, who was Big Ten player of the week after the team's opening weekend at Tulane, finished the weekend set hitting 3-for-9 (.333), tallying 3 RBIs.

Penn State battled all the way back to tie the game at 6-6, but was unable to take a lead in the game as the Sun Devils held on to win by two.

"I know they were scared over there," Wine said. "It came down to the last pitch and you never know. I knew they were scared when they threw their closer two innings in that game. [The weekend] showed that we could compete with those guys."