When Blake Lynd reached first base safely after hitting the ball through the middle of the infield, his teammates made sure to get involved in the rally.

Thanks to Lynd's single that started a seventh-inning rally with four runs, the Penn State baseball team earned a series split with Rutgers with a 7-3 win Sunday in Boca Raton, Fla.

"It was awesome," Jordan Steranka said about Lynd's hit. "Getting the leadoff hit is big. Everyone is on the bench. Once he got on, everyone got chirping and off the bench."

The victory allowed the Nittany Lions (8-8) to finish 6-3 in its trip in Florida.

In the seventh frame, the first five batters reached base. Although Penn State had no extra base hits in the inning, it pulled off a string of three singles and two walks before an out was recorded.

The rally erased a one-run deficit and Rutgers' own attempted rally ended with runners at first and second in the eighth inning.

Cory Wine had the key hit in the inning, driving in two runs with a single through the right side. The two RBI pushed Wine's season total to a team-high 24.

But Steranka said the balance of the entire line-up has been a factor so far this year.

"Our offense this year is pretty strong right now," Steranka said. "One to nine can hit. It's just getting on base one after another for big opportunities. Anyone can do damage."

Calvin Grumley pitched seven innings for the win. He scattered eight hits and four walks to go along with four strikeouts. Along with Jesse Alfreno, who earned a save, the duo combined to allow only one extra base hit.

The seven runs scored were the second most the Lions scored against the Scarlet Knights (8-7) in the four-game series. On Saturday, Penn State combined for seven runs in losing both games of a double header.

After losing the first game by a run in extra innings, the Lions were undone by a five-run fourth inning in the second game.

Fast forward a day later, and it was Penn State who strung a rally.

With the top of the lineup leading off the inning against Rutgers starter Charlie Law, Lynd and Grant Youngblood hit back-to-back singles.

Three batters later, Penn State took the lead for good with Wine's two-RBI single and Law was later pushed out of the game.

The late game offensive outburst created a sandwich effect of the series. In the first and last games against the Scarlet Knights, the Lions scored 15 runs from the seventh through ninth innings. But in the two losses, Penn State scored just one run total in the last four frames of each game.

It all changed Sunday afternoon, when the Lion batters relied on patience and the possibly tiring to reach base in the big seventh inning.

"I guess he was," Penn State coach Robbie Wine said.

"But it was our guys being patient. Taking breaking balls, close balls. We're a team who likes to make things happen. I take it as a sign of growth."