Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Penn State
Vicini, Greenspan Lift Hoosiers over Nittany Lions in 11 Innings
4/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2006
Box Score
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Friday's series opener saw the Indiana baseball team drop a one-run contest at Penn State, and game two saw the Hoosiers turn the tables. Junior pinch-hitter Ben Greenspan blooped a one-out single into center field to score sophomore pinch-runner Tyler Cox with the game-winning run as IU knocked off PSU, 3-2, in 11 innings at Beaver Field in the first game of a doubleheader on April 29. With the victory, Indiana improved to 6-12 in the Big Ten (16-24 overall), while the Nittany Lions fell to 8-10 in league play (15-26 overall).
In the decisive 11th, junior third baseman Steve Head laced a one-out base hit into center and moved into second when Garrett Field bobbled the ball as he charged in, setting the stage for Greenspan's heroics.
Freshman southpaw Joe Vicini retired the Lions in order in the bottom half of the frame to even the series at one game apiece. Returning to his home state, the Rural Valley native tossed the final four scoreless innings en route to his fourth win in six decisions. Vicini held PSU to three hits and two walks with one strikeout.
Hoosier starter Josh Lewis turned in a brilliant effort, going seven strong innings. The right-hander surrendered two runs on five hits with four punchouts.
Penn State starter Mark Wyner also allowed two runs in six innings, while reliever Matt Ogrodnik (0-1) went the final five innings, giving up just the final unearned run on three hits with no walks and one strikeout.
Following back-to-back one out walks in the sixth, junior shortstop Josh Richardson sliced a single into left field to drive home freshman pinch-runner Chris Hervey to break a 1-1 deadlock. Freshman right fielder Andrew Means then found a hole through the left side of the infield, but freshman pinch-runner Trevor McConnell stopped at third and Richardson, who did not stop after reaching second, was tagged out as both men stood 90 feet from home plate. PSU starter Mark Wyner ended the threat when senior pinch-hitter Ryan Parker flied out to left to keep it a one-run ballgame.
The basreunning miscue came back to haunt the Hoosiers in the seventh. After a leadoff double by shortstop Scott Gaffney, Field drove a deep flyball to center to move Gaffney to third. Lewis forced designated hitter Brian Ernst to ground out to a drawn in Richardson for out number two and got ahead of right fielder Travis Laird 1-2 before a wild pitch allowed Gaffney to race home with the tying run and force extra innings.
It remained squared in the bottom of the ninth when first baseman Cory Wine doubled into the left-center field gap. Vicini intentionally walked Gaffney after Field flied out for the second out when Ernst bounced a base knock back through the box.
Senior center fielder Reggie Watson charged in and threw a one-hop bullet to freshman catcher Billy O'Conner, who blocked the plate and put the tag on Wine simultaneously for the final out of the inning. The umpires held a brief conference after the play and upheld the ruling to send the game into the tenth.
As Ogrodnik cruised through his first four innings of work allowing just one baserunner, Vicini left runners on first and second in the tenth as catcher Aaron Greenfield lined out to Richardson.
Richardson led the Hoosiers at the plate, turning in a 2-for-4 effort with his big RBI.
Watson put his speed on display to give IU a 1-0 edge in the first. The Cincinnati native ripped a one-out base hit back up the middle and two batters later on a hit and run with senior designated hitter Zach Boswell, Watson came all the way around on a double that landed just inside the right-field line.
Penn State grabbed that run back in the second when Gaffney lifted a drive just out of the reach of Means, who made a valiant diving attempt just in front of the fence. Greenfield scored on the two-out triple to even things up at 1-1.
Lewis and Wyner limited scoring opportunities over the next three innings as the Nittany Lions stranded a pair in scoring position in the third, and the Hoosiers left men on first and second in the fourth before Indiana broke through in the sixth.
