It took only four hitters for the Penn State baseball team to get the monkey off its back as the Nittany Lions (7-18, 2-2 Big Ten) ended their 16-inning scoreless streak.
Third baseman Scott Gummo slapped a grounder to the right side, allowing second baseman Matt Cavagnaro to score from third on the fielder's choice. The Lions added another run in the inning and one more in the second, but it took a three-run eleventh to defeat limping Pittsburgh (11-16) -- losers in its last five games -- 7-4 in 10 innings last night at the Keystone Classic in Washington, Pa. The victory ended the Lions' two-game skid.
Wine said before the game that a mid-week game would allow him to give the bullpen pitchers, who weren't getting much time, some live baseball action. The second-year coach kept his word.
Sophomore right hander Seth Whitehill started the game for the Lions.
Whitehill, who had struggled out of the bullpen this season, threw six strong innings for the Lions, allowing two runs on four hits. He also rung up five Panthers but received a no decision.
"He's working really hard, and that's a tribute to him," Penn State coach Robbie Wine said. "He's going to be ready every time we give him the ball."
Another struggling pitcher, Steve Cline, relieved Whitehill. Cline held off a late charge by Pitt, but was pulled after the Panthers got runners on the corner in the eighth. Gary Amato, the fifth pitcher of the inning, was kept Pitt from taking the lead after the Panthers had battled back to tie the game.
"What [Amato] is going through is a lack of confidence. His stuff is there but we just have to work on getting that confidence back," Wine said. "He pitched outstanding in that last inning. He's our guy and we're going to stick with him."
Both teams traded runs in the 10th, making this Penn State's longest game of the season. In the 11th, Gummo once again knocked in the go-ahead run for the Lions, singling home Scott Gaffney.
The next two hits for Penn State knocked in the final two runs of the game. Amato finished the game, pitching three solid innings for the win.
"We played that last inning like I want them to play every inning," Wine said. "We got the leadoff man on, and took advantage of some walks. We really executed."
