MISSION POSSIBLE: PENN STATE WINS REGIONAL WITH 10-3 ROMP OF NORTH CAROLINA
Damiano named Most Outstanding Player after picking up two winsUPPER MONTCLAIR, N.J.-Penn State Kevin Damiano (Mt. Airy, Md.) picked up where he left off in the first North Carolina win and allowed the Tar Heels (46-17) only five hits in 5 2/3 innings of work as the Nittany Lions (45-17) eliminated UNC to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals. After losing 14-5 to UNC to open the tournament, PSU rolled off four-consecutive wins.
Damiano, who threw 40 pitches in the first game and got the win, returned to the mound in his first collegiate start. The true freshman fed off his first game success and never let the Tar Heels get more than one hit in an inning. It was just his third win and 18th appearance of the year.
With a fastball that kept the North Carolina hitters guessing all afternoon, Damiano watched as the Lions' offense consistently pounded away at the Tar Heel pitchers. PSU collected 12 hits that produced four doubles and a home run. UNC seemed to run out of pitching, having to rely on ace reliever Derrick DePriest to start things off and used five in the outing.
All-American Michael Campo (Absecon, N.J) wasted no time extending his school-record hitting streak to 41 games with a double to left center. The senior drilled the ball and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Zack Smithlin (Fair Lawn, N.J). Senior Shawn Fagan (Levittown, N.Y.) flew out to right but hit the ball deep enough for Campo to score for the 1-0 lead.
North Carolina tied it up at 1-1 with a swing of the bat when left fielder Sean Farrell homered to left field in the bottom of the fifth.
But the Lions blew the game open in the sixth with six runs on six hits. Sophomore Willie Melendez (Cayey, Puerto Rico) started off the inning with a single to left field. Campo doubled to left and Donnie Wright (Bethesda, Md.) brought both base runners home with a single that drifted down the right field line. Freshman Brett Showalter (Waynesboro, Pa.) had an RBI-double to deep right field that scored Smithlin, who reached on a fielder's choice where second baseman Chris Maples didn't make a throw to anywhere to hold the runners.
DePriest intentionally walked Joe Puliafico (Manhasset, N.Y.) to load the bases with only one out. But the plan for a double play backfired when senior Eric Spadt (Northampton, Pa.) sailed a ball off the left field wall to drive in Wright and Showalter. After starting the inning off with a single, Melendez doubled to left center to score Puliafico. But as Spadt rounded third and headed for home, he was thrown out on the relay from center to short to catcher and the Lions were up 7-1.
A run in the seventh and eighth innings built the lead to 9-3 as UNC never recovered. Designated hitter Scott Hamilton (Malibu, Calif.) capped off the Regional Championship run with his first home run of the season--a solo shot to left field for the 10th and final run of the game.
With a combined effort from the bullpen, the Lions held the Tar Heels to only seven hits. Sophomore Mike Watson (Altoona, Pa.) finished up the sixth and faced two batters in the seventh where he allowed one hit and walked one batter. Lefty Scott Russo (Turnersville, N.J.) closed out the final three innings and gave up only one unearned run on a single hit.
The Lions placed four players on the all-tournament team, including Damiano who was named the Most Outstanding Freshman. He was joined by pitcher Pete Yodis, designated hitter Brian Bishop, and outfielders Campo and Smithlin.
Penn State will now face the winner of the Arizona State/Texas game that is being played in Tempe, Ariz. The winner of the three-game series will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
NCAA Rutgers Regional All-Tournament Team
P: Kevin Damiano, Penn State; Pete Yodis, Penn State
C: Dan Moylan, North Carolina
1B: Ryan Earey, North Carolina
2B: Chris Maples, North Carolina
3B: Clay Hooper, North Carolina
SS: Darren Fenster, Rutgers
OF: Michael Campo, Penn State; Zack Smithlin, Penn State; Adam Greenberg,
North Carolina
DH: Brian Bishop, Penn State
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Kevin Damiano, Penn State
