BASE: Penn State Outslugs Cornell in Consistent Effort
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lions (10-13, 0-0 Big Ten) closed their six-game home slate against the Cornell Big Red (9-5, 0-0 Ivy League) at Medlar Field in Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions won easily with an impressive and cohesive 8-2 victory that highlighted Schuyler Bates’ first start and the return of previously injured Alex Malinsky.
“It’s good to get a win, we needed to get a win,” head coach Rob Cooper said. “Proud of our guys. I thought we did some really good things on the mound. It’s good to see a guy like Bates have a great start, get a win as a starter because he’s worked really really hard…And Alex Malinsky…for him to have a kind of night he did after where he was in January after the injury, its pretty cool. So good win.”
Wednesday’s victory was not only another tally in the win column for the Blue and White, but also a historical notch between the Nittany Lions and the Big Red. Exactly 100 years ago, the two teams met for the first time on the diamond; the Nittany Lions proved superior in 1917 with a 3-1 victory and today with a strong defensive showing.
While managing close-call situations, Bates snagged the win with a 1-2-3 fifth inning. He left the diamond with no earned runs, two hits and three strikeouts.
“I felt really good. I was trying to get ahead of guys. I let our fielders work and I kept my tempo really quick.”
Jordan Bowersox, Logan Goodnight and Willie Burger bolstered Bates’ performance with their chemistry behind the glove that translated through Bowersox’s piercing throws from center and Goodnight’s diving plays to help Burger keep runners off of first.
“Unbelievable. It’s amazing that I pitch behind that,” Bates said. “I give most of the credit to them because they made some unbelievable plays behind me.”
The cohesiveness of Penn State’s defensive unit helped bolster the offense to cement their continous lead. While Bowersox struck the match for the Blue and White’s bats, Malinsky continued the fire throughout his five appearances at the plate with two doubles, one single and three RBIs.
Malinsky halted the Big Red’s two-run momentum in the bottom of the seventh when he cemented the game with a line-drive RBI single to center field; Ryan Sloniger capitalized. Christian Helsel, another player at the bottom of the order, also had three RBIs and added to the Nittany Lions aggressive offensive showing.
Aside from Cornell’s two runs and five hits, they also bolstered Penn State’s victory with four errors; three of the four errors came at the hand of catcher Ellis Bitar.
“It was huge,” Malinsky said. “Get everyone out there, get some confidence going in…I mean we are going to keep being us and attack everyday and we are going to come out and attack Michigan this weekend.
The Penn State Nittany Lions head to the road this Friday against the Michigan Wolverines at 4 p.m. in the Ray Fisher Stadium for the start of conference play.
Madeleine Balestrier is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email mrb5883@psu.edu.
