May 23, 2012

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Around the Tournaments: Wednesday recaps

Buckeyes rally past Nittany Lions

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

@roadtoomaha

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Nittany Lions won the first half of the game, but the Buckeyes won the second half and the game.

After third-seeded Penn State built a 5-1 lead, sixth-seeded Ohio State scored two in the sixth, three in the eighth and six in the ninth to post a 12-5 win in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at Huntington Park.

The Buckeyes (32-25) will face top-seeded Purdue on Thursday at 7 p.m., while the Nittany Lions (29-26) meet Nebraska at noon in an elimination game.

“Last weekend, we didn’t play relaxed,” said OSU head coach Greg Beals, referring to the three-game sweep at the hands of Indiana. “Today is a great example of believing, continuing to believe. The idea of this ball club believing in itself and sticking to it was what I liked most.”

Patrick Porter drove in four for OSU with a single in the second, a sacrifice fly in the sixth, a fielder’s choice in the eighth and a base hit in the ninth. David Corna added three hits and four RBI for the Buckeyes.

Penn State took the lead with a three-run third as Luis Montesinos had a RBI single, Aaron Novak doubled in a run and Alex Farkes added a sacrifice fly. Sean Deegan singled and scored in the fourth as the Nittany Lions led 5-1.

Reliever Brett McKinney (5-5) took over in the fourth and kept the Buckeyes in the game. He allowed two hits in 4.2 innings with one walk and five strikeouts.

“I was really impressed with what Brett McKinney did,” Beals said, “not just his ability to pitch but what it meant to our team and how it changed the complexion of the ballgame when he came in the game. He was the difference-maker for us today.”

OSU took the lead in the eighth on heads-up base-running. Josh Dezse (right) and Brad Hallberg (3 for 4, 4 R) both singled and a walk to Mike Carroll loaded the bases. Corna’s base hit to left plated Dezse and pulled the Buckeyes to within one at 5-4. Porter hit a shot to the first baseman, who threw to second for the force. The relay throw to first was not handled cleanly by the pitcher. Hallberg scored easily from third to tie the game and Carroll sped around third and came home when he saw the mishandled throw at first to give OSU its first lead at 6-5.

Corna and Kirby Pellant both had two-run singles in the six-run ninth for the Buckeyes.

(photo courtesy of OSU Media Relations Office)