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 [ Thursday, April 13, 2006 ] Team effort carries PSU
By Corey McLaughlin
Collegian Staff Writer
Fans left Beaver Field early yesterday. Not because they were unhappy, not because of inclement weather, but because they felt the Penn State baseball team had its game against Duquesne so well in hand that the eventual outcome would be the same whether they stayed to watch or not. They were right. The three runs the Dukes managed to score in the top of the ninth inning had no influence on the result of the game, which the Nittany Lions won, 12-6. |
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"We came into this game with a lot of momentum," right fielder Brian Ernst said. "Guys were all upbeat in BP and everything and everybody had a good attitude coming into the game and it carried over." The Lions (9-21, 3-5 Big Ten) used the midweek non-conference game to give four different relief pitchers playing time, by choice, not because of unfavorable results. Sophomore pitcher Seth Whitehill, a member of the club baseball team last season who may see time in relief against Michigan State this weekend, got the start and went two innings giving up two runs. Sophomore Paul Hawkins relieved him, throwing three scoreless innings and earning the win to improve his record to 2-1. With Penn State up 10-2 after five innings, freshman Scott Kelley took the mound and pitched two innings, giving up one run. Fellow freshman David Bumstead entered in the eighth, with the Lions up 12-3, and closed out the game. With the game in hand, Penn State coach Robbie Wine began to replace the starting lineup -- the same that started Sunday's win against Iowa sans catcher James Spinelli -- with bench players. Infielders Landon Nakata and Colin Runt played along with outfielders Rick Marlin and Ryan Boonie, four players Wine had been looking to give playing time. | ||||
PHOTO: Prince Frederick Spells
Penn State infielder Landon Nakata (21) helps complete a double play during the Lions' 12-6 victory over Duquesne at Beaver Field yesterday afternoon.
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"It was ideal," Wine said. "If we had a little more confidence under our belt, we might have started some of those guys that came in later in the game. I thought it was good to keep the ball rolling, if we had it rolling, for one game. That lineup seems to fit." The Dukes (7-23, 3-6 A10), meanwhile struggled, with starting pitcher Brian Schwartzbauer (0-2) loading the bases in each of the first two innings. The Lions capitalized by scoring half of their 12 runs in the first two frames. "We were taking some good rips at balls. The wind was blowing in so it wasn't carrying as far, but we were getting some good swings today," Ernst said. "We weren't swinging at too many bad pitches, so it looks like we're starting to pick up the discipline level." Penn State cranked out 16 hits to earn its second straight Wednesday win of the season. Last Wednesday the Lions defeated Pittsburgh 7-4 in extra-innings. "Mid-week baseball is so important," Wine said. "Coming up here [from Oklahoma State] and being without it, it's frustrating as a coach, but having a nice day and being able to go out in the field and get all those at bats and innings pitched ... is important."
R E L A T E D S T O R Y
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