UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (May 22, 2005) - Penn State scored three runs in the eighth inning, but it wasn't enough to overcome an early deficit as Michigan spoiled the Nittany Lion baseball team's Senior Day, and its season finale, with an 8-4 victory Sunday at Beaver Field.

The Wolverines won the final three games of the series, knocking Penn State out of the Big Ten playoff race in the process. The Nittany Lions finished 28-27 overall, and 13-19 in the Big Ten. Seniors Matt Carroll (Philadelphia, Pa.), Clint Eury (Butler, Pa.), Arin Gelletly (Dayton, Md.), Michael Milliron (DuBois, Pa.) and Josh Palm (Conneaut Lake, Pa.) were honored before the game, and all saw action in the final game of the season.

Milliron went 2-for-5 with two doubles, and sophomore Brian Ernst (Boyertown, Pa.) went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Michigan's Jeff Kunkel broke out of a weekend slump, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, leadoff hitter Chris Getz went 2-for-5, scored three runs and drove in another. The Wolverines improved to 40-15 overall, and 17-12 in the Big Ten. They have clinched a Big Ten playoff spot. The conference playoffs begin Wednesday at Illinois, which clinched the top spot with a Purdue loss on Sunday.

Carroll got the first start of his career on Sunday, but struggled with the powerful Michigan attack, which came into the weekend with a conference-best .322 batting average.

Getz led off the game with a single, and came around to score on an RBI single by Kunkel.

But sophomore Jim Leitgeb (Elkton, Md.) led off the bottom half of the inning with a walk. He eventually scored on a bases loaded walk by junior Aaron Greenfield (Villanova, Pa.) to make it 1-1.

But the Wolverines took the lead for good with a four-run second inning. Back-to-back RBI singles by Getz and Doug Pickens, and a two-run single by Kunkel made it 5-1. Michigan scored one run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take an 8-1 lead.

But Penn State battled back in the eighth inning with three runs. Junior Lance Thompson (Brisbin, Pa.), Gelletly and Ernst had RBI singles. But the rally ended on an infield pop-up with the bases loaded.

The Nittany Lions will look to next season when all-but-two starting position players return. Milliron (shortstop) and Eury (first base) are both gone to graduation. Eury missed most of this season at first base due to a broken hand, but he was able to pitch.

Carroll and Palm are gone out of the Penn State bullpen, and Gelletly was a reserve corner infielder and relief pitcher.

For more information on Nittany Lion baseball, please visit Penn State's official athletic website at www.GoPSUsports.com.

Michigan 8 Penn State 4 Michigan 140 111 000 - 8 15 0 Penn State 100 000 030 - 4 9 0 Pitchers: UM - Drew Taylor, Craig Murray (8), Alex Martin (8), Phil Tognetti (8); PSU - Matt Carroll, Craig Clark (4), Josh Palm (7), Clint Eury (8). WP: Drew Taylor (4-2). LP: Matt Carroll (1-1). SAVE: Phil Tognetti (1). Time: 2:48.