Shannon is total package against Big Red

Joshua FriedmanJoshua FriedmanDaily Pennsylvanian Sports Writer The 2-0 letter-high fastball never had a chance against Shannon, the man of the weekend for the Quakers. The sophomore sensation crushed Herrick's offering 370 feet, well beyond the left-field fence to extend Penn's lead to 7-0. "I was looking for it all the way," he said. "With the bases loaded, you're thinking home run until you get a strike on you. After the grand slam, I was feeling pretty good." But that feeling did not end after just one monster hit. Shannon carried the momentum into the next game -- his first career Ivy pitching start. The memorable game two began with a simple ground out which third baseman Mark DeRosa converted into the first out of the contest. But this was the story for the entire game -- Shannon consistently fooled the Big Red batters, who hit only six balls out of the infield as Shannon took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. "When Mike shows up and is feeling good, nobody can beat him," sophomore catcher Rick Burt said. "He was just a better pitcher than they were hitters. He was able to keep them completely off balance by throwing three different breaking pitches for strikes. When he shows up and feels good, he can't be beat." Cornell was barely able to get a hit, let alone the win. Although the no-hitter was broken up by a sixth-inning double as Shannon began to tire, the statement was made. This was to be Mr. Shannon's weekend. "Shannon has the ability to throw that way each time out," Penn assistant coach Bill Wagner said. "He's tough. He's competitive. He's determined to shut the other team down. He just loves to start." After this weekend, starting may no longer be a problem for Shannon. Last season, he did not throw one pitch during the season due to arm troubles. Shannon, however, has instantly become one of the Quakers' best threats -- on the mound and at the plate. During the weekend, when he hit in the cleanup spot, Shannon singlehandedly surpassed last season's RBI total, eight to seven. Yesterday, in the midst of a gusty wind and sporadic rain, Shannon continued his heroics. In the fourth inning, he came up with his brother, Tim Shannon, on third. Cornell pitcher Jared Cottle's 2-1 pitch high and inside appeared to hit Shannon on the hand. Although he began to bleed, the umpire thought otherwise and called it a foul ball. So the next pitch Shannon promptly blooped into right field to drive in the game-winning run. "I wasn't upset because I don't think he was trying to throw at me," Shannon said. "He was just trying to come inside. I was just trying to slap the ball somewhere, and it fell in between everyone." That knack for putting the ball in the right place continued in the second half of the twinbill yesterday. In the bottom of the fifth, Shannon came to the plate with his brother once again on third. Although the wind kept the ball in play, the hard-hit ball was deep enough to score a run, which was sufficient for the Quakers to beat Cornell. "I'm more excited when I come to bat and see a man in scoring position," he said. "I feel like my hit means something." This weekend, it meant a four-game Penn sweep and a chance for the Gehrig Division title.