Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Penn State *
Nittany Lions Win Game One 6-5 in 11 Innings
4/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 10, 2004
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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Penn State scored two runs in the bottom of the 11th inning, handing NU a 6-5 loss in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Beaver Field in State College, Pa. NU held leads in the seventh, ninth and 11th innings, before losing in the bottom of the 11th inning. Senior Josh Lieberman was 4-for-6 in the game, singling his last four at-bats of the game. With the loss, NU falls to 13-12-1, 3-3 in the Big Ten.
Like they did in the first game of the series, Penn State scored first when left fielder Matt Lewis hit a one out pitch over the left centerfield fence for a 2-0 lead.
Nittany Lion starter Sean Stidfole cruised through the first five and two-third innings, finding trouble in the top half of the fifth. After Stidfole tied a career high with nine strikeouts, senior catcher Dan Pohlman laced a three-run two-out home run over the left field fence, putting NU up for the first time in the game. Stidfole ended the game with a career-high 11 strikeouts.
In the top half of the fifth inning, Lieberman hit a one-out infield single between third base and shortstop. Lieberman moved to second when Mark Ori slapped a single through the right side setting the table for Pohlman. It was Pohlman's fourth home of the season.
With NU winning 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, PSU tied the game as a Brauer wild pitch allowed the run to score. Centerfielder Derrick Barr hit a led off double and went to third on slow roller to first base, before crossing the plate on the errant pitch.
NU scored a single run in the top of the ninth inning, playing its second extra-inning game of the season. Leadoff man, Josh Lieberman hit a two-out single over the second baseman's head to score Doug Beatty from second base. Beatty reached on a walk and went to second on Caleb Fields' infield single.
The lead did not last long with Penn State tying the game as a lead off single came around to score. Usual starter Dan Konecny took over mound duties from Brauer to begin the ninth. In the inning, Travis Laird led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Laird went to third on a slow roller to the shortstop and scored on Brett Showalter's single.
The game remained 4-4 until the 11th inning when NU took a 5-4 lead on a Penn State wild pitch. Junior Chris Hayes, who reached on a fielder's choice bunt, scored on the wild pitch after moving to third on Lieberman's fourth single of the game.
In the bottom of the 11th, Penn State scored two runs on three hits as Mike Milliron's slow roller through the middle plated the winning run.
