All season long, despite mounting losses, the Penn State baseball team kept as much a positive attitude as it could, saying when Big Ten play rolled around, it would be ready to compete with its conference foes.

Those promises held true this weekend, as the Nittany Lions split a four-game, conference-opening series with Minnesota, a team that has made the NCAA Regionals six out of the past seven years.

The Lions (6-18, 2-2 Big Ten) won the first two games by scores of 7-3 and 12-2, before being shut out 5-0 in the final two games of the series.

"We're happy with it," said pitcher Craig Clark, who was handed the loss in yesterday's game. "But we were hoping for a little bit more."

After a rough non-conference schedule that saw several one-run losses and fall-from-ahead defeats, the Lions made a late-inning rally of their own at just the right time.

The Lions scored five runs in the ninth inning of a 2-2 game on Friday, eventually winning 7-3 and finally validating the potential to win that they have talked about this season.

"It was real good. Everybody realized that we are the team that we thought we could be. It was pretty good to have that feeling," shortstop Scott Gaffney said. "Hopefully everybody remembers that and remembers how we feel today, after losing consecutively."

In the first game of the Saturday doubleheader, Penn State starting pitcher Mark Wyner (2-4) pitched a complete game to earn the win, helped by 12 runs. It was the Lions' highest run total of the season since a 17-2 win against Sacred Heart on March 5.

But in the final two games of the series, Minnesota (12-10, 2-2) did not allow any Penn State player to score and gave up only six hits.

"I don't know what happened the last games," left fielder Lance Thompson said. "I don't know if we were tired or what."

Minnesota pitchers John Gaub and Tyler Oakes combined to one-hit Penn State in the second game of the doubleheader.

Yesterday, Golden Gophers starter Cole DeVries went 7.2 innings, allowing five hits.

"It stinks that we won the first two and ended up with a split," Penn State head coach Robbie Wine said. "I just feel like we had them right where we wanted them and we let them slip away with a split."

Despite the two shutouts, the Lions believe that their weekend performance is a sign that they could compete with any team in the Big Ten.

"We probably should have taken three out of four from them, but every weekend you're going to battle in the Big Ten, no matter who it is. Whether it's the last-place team or the first-place team. Everything is pretty much at the same level," Gaffney said. "I think we're ready for it."

The Lions will face a Big Ten team every weekend from now until the Big Ten Tournament in late May. To qualify for the postseason, Penn State must finish in the top six in the conference, something the team believes it can do, especially after taking two of four games from a traditional Big Ten power like Minnesota.

"It gives us a lot [of confidence]. I think for opening Big Ten weekend, we played well," Clark said.

Thompson, one of two senior everyday players added: "We still think we can win this league."

Notes

Switch-hitting junior Matt Cavagnaro hit the first home run of his Penn State career during Saturday's win ... Sophomore relief pitcher Gary Amato picked up his first win of the season on Friday ... Junior Matt Ogrodnik got the save in that game, his first of the year.