With one out in the seventh inning and the Penn State baseball team up by five runs, first baseman Joey DeBernardis was lying face down on the pitchers' mound.
Moments earlier, with runners on first and second base, Hofstra's Ethan Paquette hit a high pop-up that DeBernardis tried to run under. As the umpire called for the infield fly rule, DeBernardis tripped over the mound and had the ball fall a couple feet in front of him.
It was a minor slip-up for the sophomore first baseman, whose strong offensive and defensive performance helped the Nittany Lions (9-12) to an 8-4 win over Hofstra (6-13).
DeBernardis was thankful the play didn't hurt the team, while second baseman Louie Picconi had a lighthearted view of his teammate's stumble.
"The ball was going right at him then blew over the mound," Picconi said. "That's a real tough play but still hilarious."
DeBernardis has been getting the last laugh against opponents recently with his performance at the plate. The Lion first baseman has had multi-hit performances in eight of his last 12 games.
In the four-game series against Hofstra, DeBernardis went 6-for-14 with four RBI and five runs scored.
In the final three games of the series, coach Robbie Wine moved DeBernardis up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order. Wine said he wanted to get DeBernardis as many at bats as possible during the two seven-inning games in Saturday's doubleheader and he decided to keep him there in Sunday's game.
"I'm taking a good approach and not trying to do too much," DeBernardis said. "I'm just putting the ball in play, and it's falling for me."
While DeBernardis has been strong at the plate, his play at first base has been just as important to the team's success.
Sunday, in a game filled with errors by both sides, DeBernardis continued to be reliable despite his run-in with the mound. He scooped several throws off the dirt and preserved the outs.
Picconi said DeBernardis is a valuable player for the team. The senior said DeBernardis' reliable glove allows the infielder to know their throws don't have to be perfect. They know if they put the ball near DeBernardis, he'll find a way to come up with it and get the out.
"DeBo is a very good defensive first baseman," Wine said. "He's loose. Sometimes it appears to be lazy, but it's just fluid. He's doing a great job over there."
