Happy Valley Hardball

DownloadCoach Robbie Wine meets with the media post game

In one of the more dramatic ninth innings you’d ever want to see, the Indiana Hoosiers continued their miracle run.

The Nits trailed Indiana 7-4 coming into the top of the ninth. They staged a thrilling comeback, highlighted by Cory Wine’s two out, two strike, two run double to tie the game up 7-7. Wine then scored on an Indiana error to give the Nits an 8-7 lead.

Indiana then staged a comeback of their own. Robbie Wine elected to ride the arm of his All-American closer Drew O’Neil, perhaps for one inning two many. O’Neil had come into the game in the sixth and the ninth would be his fourth inning of work, much longer than any outing this season. It showed. O’Neil struggled, giving up hits to the first two Indiana batters. Cory Wine then made a brilliant play on a bunt attempt throwing out the lead runner at third. A high bouncer over the pitchers mound became an infield single that loaded the bases. Drew got up 1-2 on the Hooiser’s ninth batter before giving up the season ending walk off grand slam. Asking Drew for four innings was just too much.

Still props for the Nits for their valiant effort and valiant season. The didn’t let the four run deficit get to them in this game, just as they didn’t let the poor start to the season get to them this year. Next season they will have to find a way to prevent that early season hole.

Thanks to all on the team for a fun season.

Baseball - Penn State University Official Athletic Site via kwout

UncleLar Take:

Indiana topped Illinois so the Lions will get to face the Hoosiers for the second time in the tournament. Indiana will be playing their second game of the day which certainly works to PSU’s advantage but the Hoosiers did get a complete game out of their starter so their pitching staff should be well rested.

Nice story on Tressler in the Ottawa Citizen

Nothing doing in opener
Jackals’ Tressler shuts down Rapidz. Jackals 6, Rapidz 0
Don Campbell, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Friday, May 23, 2008

Just two short summers ago, Aaron Tressler seemed destined to some day play for the Toronto Blue Jays after a breakout season (8-4 with a 1.90 earned-run average) in the Single-A Midwest League.

The upstart Ottawa Rapidz only wish his career path had stayed on course.

Manchester, New Hampshire, at Double-A. Triple-A at Syracuse. The Rogers Centre. The Rapidz wished Tressler had been anywhere but Ottawa Stadium last night.

Go to the story

The Wolverines trailed the Illini 1-0 in the sixth, and 2-1 in the seventh but came back to win the game 5-2.

That puts Michigan up against Purdue in the winner’s bracket finals tomorrow night, while Illinois will face Indiana in a losers bracket elimination game at noon tomorrow. PSU will get the winner of that game at 3:35 PM. The winner of PSU’s game will then face the loser of the Michigan/Purdue game on Saturday afternoon for the right to advance to the championship game Saturday night.

Baseball - Penn State University Official Athletic Site via kwout

UncleLar Take:

The only good news to take out of this game is that we are locked into the second game tomorrow and will get the winner of the first game between Indiana and the loser of tonight’s Illinois/Michigan matchup (they are currently tied 1-1 in the sixth). Hopefully, that means we will be facing a tired team with a tired staff.

Purdue Official Athletic Site via kwout

UncleLar Take:

PSU will have a battle on their hands today going up against Purdue’s ace and first team All Big Ten pitcher Matt Bischoff. Robbie Wine is rolling the dice by going with Seth Whitehill who is a lifetime 3-0 against Purdue with under a 1.00 ERA but who hasn’t started a game in a couple of weeks.