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ANN ARBOR, Mich.; May 25, 2007 ¨C A five-run, eighth-inning rally, highlighted by a bases-clearing, three-run double by Rob Yodice (Staten Island, N.Y.), erased a 2-1 deficit as Penn State came from behind to win a game for the 15th time this year and stay alive in the Big Ten Tournament with a 6-2 win over Illinois to eliminate the Fighting Illini from the tournament. Illinois is the third team to be eliminated by Penn State at this tournament. The Nittany Lions also eliminated Michigan earlier on Friday with an extra-inning victory and sent Iowa home yesterday.

After the thrilling 10-inning win over Michigan that lasted just under three hours to start the day, Penn State had just half an hour to get ready for the Illini, who lost to Minnesota last night to drop into Friday¡¯s second game. The meeting marked the first between Penn State and Illinois since the 2005 season due to the Big Ten schedule rotation. The Nittany Lions entered this game having won nine out of their last 12 games against the Illini dating back to 2003.

The combination of starter John Karr (Gibsonia, Pa.) and reliever Matt Ogrodnik (Saltsburg, Pa.) kept Illinois off the scoreboard except for two runs in the sixth inning. Karr, in perhaps his best start of the year, pitched a career high five and a third innings, scattering six hits and allowing two runs while walking two and striking out one. Ogrodnik relieved him with one out in the sixth after the Illini had scored both of its runs and got out of the inning before pitching three more perfect innings to pick up the win and improve to 4-3 on the year.

Penn State started out well, making two hits and hit batsman into a run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Joe Blackburn (Sinking Spring, Pa.) blooped a single into shallow right field just inside the foul line for his first hit of the tournament. Cory Wine (Stillwater, Okla.) was then hit with an 0-2 pitch and then Mike Deese (Roswell, Ga.) came up with his first RBI of the game with a single to left center. Illinois starter Scott Shaw then got the final three outs of the inning to strand runners at first and second.

Mike Deese went 3-for-4 and had two RBI hits to lead the Penn State offense vs. Illinois.

The Nittany Lions would have only two more baserunners between the second and eighth innings as Shaw set down eight straight two different times and all together, retired 17 of 19 hitters between the second (after the run scored) and seventh innings. Meanwhile, Karr stayed out of trouble by stranding Illinois runners at third base in each of the first three innings and a runner at second in the fourth before setting down the side in order for the first time in the fifth.

In the sixth, he gave up a leadoff single to Brandon Wikoff and then allowed the only hit of the game to Big Ten Player of the Year Lars Davis, a base hit through the right side, which sent Wikoff to third. The relay throw in was cut off and Davis was caught too far in between first and second. But, during the rundown, Wine¡¯s throw to second went into left field, allowing Wikoff to come home with the first Illinois run of the game and Davis to get safely to second. A groundout to second moved Davis to third and he scored on a single to right by Daniel Webb to give Illinois the 2-1 lead. Karr then issued just his second walk of the game to Shawn Roof and was lifted in favor of Ogrodnik. The senior lefty, who also appeared in the first game of the day against Michigan, gave up an infield single to Ryan Hastings to load the bases but got an inning-ending 5-2-3 double play ball off the bat of Nick Stockwell to keep Penn State down by just one run.

Heading into the eighth, Shaw had retired his second string of eight straight hitters but he ran into trouble to being the eighth as he issued a walk to Brian Ernst (Boyertown, Pa.) on a 3-2 pitch. Garrett Field (Stillwater, Okla.) then grounded a ball to second but in what appeared to be a hurry to try to get the speedy Field at first base for a double play, second baseman Hastings¡¯ throw to short pulled the shortstop Roof off the bag for an error as Ernst slid in safely. Illinois ace reliever Jake Toohey and then brought on and he walked Matt Cavagnaro (Brightwaters, N.Y.) on a 3-1 pitch to load the bases with no outs. Toohey struck out Gaffney for the first out of the inning but then Yodice drove the first pitch he saw from Toohey down the right field line for a three-run, bases-clearing double to give the Nittany Lions the lead back at 4-2 and Yodice went to third when Stockwell kicked around the ball in right. Yodice then trotted home on Blackburn¡¯s hit through the drawn-in infield. Wine¡¯s single sent Blackburn to second and Blackburn then scored his second run of the game on Deese¡¯s double down the left field line, the second RBI hit of the day for the Nittany Lion third baseman.

Joe Blackburn scored a pair of runs and went 2-for-4 against the Illini.

After allowing that infield single to the first batter he faced and inducing that inning-ending double play ball in the sixth, Ogrodnik retired the final nine batters he faced and 10 in all to earn the win in relief.

Blackburn went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored while Deese went 3-for-4 with the pair of RBI to lead the Nittany Lion offense.

Penn State will live to see at least one more day with the win. The Nittany Lions will face the loser to tonight¡¯s Ohio State-Minnesota game at 3:35 p.m. tomorrow. A win in that game would move the Nits on to face the winner of tonight¡¯s game tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.

Notes: Ogrodnik tied his own school record for appearances with his 28th of the year. He also appeared in 28 games last year¡­.Ogrodnik¡¯s 3.2 innings pitched were his longest outing of the year and tied for the second-longest of his career¡­.Deese has a team-high six RBI in the Big Ten Tournament¡­.Wine has recorded 10 or more putouts in six straight games, a testament to the pitching staff¡¯s ability to get ground balls¡­.Penn State is now 3-1 in this year¡¯s Big Ten Tournament and the three wins is tied for the most of any Penn State squad in a Big Ten Tournament. The 2000 and 2003 teams also won three games each in the Big Ten Tournament.

Penn State Head Coach Robbie Wine Quotes

On the game plan heading into today
"The guys came out and had a good approach against (Michigan's Mike) Wilson. He's a good pitcher, one of the best in the league. It kind of started from there. Things kind of snowballed from there. You don't plan on game two, you have to win game one. We stayed after it. Illinois' guy (Scott Shaw) threw a great game in the second game. We did our best to hang in there. It's the hallmark of the whole season so far -- just stay close, stay in there and get 27 outs."

On if he expected such strong efforts from starters Paul Hawkins and John Karr
"We did. Paul Hawkins is going to give us (five good innings) every time. He averages about 10 pitches an inning and he's going to give us about five or six innings. We have the bullpen to cover him up for the next four innings. John Karr just continues every outing to get better and better. He earned it down the stretch with the starting performances he had. He went out and did a better job than he did in the regular season."

On the clutch hits by Cory Wine, his son, in the Michigan game
"I think the father end will sink in a little bit back at the hotel when we're talking about it with his mom and sister and all that. From a player's standpoint, I'm proud of all these guys the way they're competing for 27 outs. Everything their doing is big. It's gut-check time. It was a long day out here for us today. We have to look forward to another one tomorrow. It starts with game one against (Ohio State or Minnesota)."

On the five-run output in the eighth inning versus Illinois
"I think it's just the attitude of knowing that we're never out of it and that we can make a run at it. In my end of it sometimes I'm wondering if we're waiting until later in the game. (Scott) Gaffney made a point out on the mound to say, 'oh, well we're ok now we're behind, we'll win this game.' That's the feeling. If you have a lead you feel good, but if you're behind it's we're going to come back, don't worry about it."

Sophomore First Baseman Cory Wine Quotes

On his two-run triple versus Michigan
"It was huge. We needed some runs right there. With two guys on you need to capitalize. It was the sheer determination of our team -- it's our motto right there."

On his go-ahead home run
"(Michigan pitcher Mike Powers) was getting in a groove. He gave me a pitch and I hit it."

On the team hitting performance against Illinois
"We knew we'd get to (Illinois starter Scott Shaw). We just stayed after him. Our thought was we'll get him next time. We stayed after him and got him in the eighth inning."

On the prospects for tomorrow's game or games
"We have a deep pitching staff and everyone is playing well. We have a good chance I think."