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Penn State Upsets Iowa in the Big Ten Baseball Tournament

Behind a 2-hitter and Matt Wood's 3-run homer, the Lions win their first postseason game since 2008.

Penn State on Thursday won its first Big Ten Baseball Tournament game since 2008, upsetting third-seeded Iowa 5-2 in the first round in Omaha.

Catcher Matt Wood, the Big Ten's regular-season batting champ, hit a three-run home run for the decisive blow of Penn State's return to the Big Ten Tournament. The sixth-seeded Lions are playing in the postseason for the first time since 2012.

Penn State (26-27) advanced to the top bracket's second round, where it will face Rutgers on Friday. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST on Big Ten Network.

The Lions did not enter the Big Ten tournament with much momentum. They finished the regular season 2-6 and were swept in a three-game series by Illinois to finish it. Meanwhile, Iowa (33-18) entered the Big Ten Tournament after sweeping a three-game series from Indiana in which it scored 44 runs, including a 30-16 win.

However, Penn State pitchers Tyler Shingledecker and Travis Luensmann combined for a two-hitter and struck out 15, and Wood produced yet another timely at-bat, lifting the team to its first Big Ten Tournament win under head coach Rob Cooper.

"Hats off to Coop, he deserves the win," Shingledecker told BTN after the game. "It's just a great feeling to be in the winners' bracket."

In his first start since May 8, Shingledecker went a career-long 5 2/3 innings for the win. Shingledecker, who won his team-high seventh game of the season, allowed two runs (one earned) on just one hit. The left-hander struck out eight of the 20 batters he faced.

Wood, who possesses the most electrifying bat in Penn State's lineup, broke open the game with his three-run homer in the sixth. Wood hit .395 this season with 11 home runs and 50 RBI and leads the team in hits, runs, walks, slugging and on-base percentage.

Wood became Penn State's first player to be named first-team All-Big Ten since Jordan Steranka in 2012. Wood hit .413 in Big Ten play with a 1.229 OPS.

Luensmann, who struck out 71 in 64.1 regular-season innings, followed Shingledecker to shut the door on Iowa. He struck out seven, including the side in the eighth inning, and allowed just one hit. Luensmann struck out two in the ninth, the first after falling behind 3-0 in the count.

"It wasn’t our day, we didn’t play very well, but Penn State pitched great," Iowa head coach Rick Heller said. "The biggest story was how Shingledecker pitched against us. He was tough, a three-pitch mix and pounded both sides of the zone. He had us fooled most of the day and Luensmann did a nice job as well."

After a one-day weather delay, both teams had trouble hitting the ball. Penn State and Iowa combined to strike out 32 times. with the Lions accounting for 17 of those. Penn State's 17 strikeouts tied a Big Ten tournament record.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.