Penn State skipper Mike Gambino trotted out of the dugout and toward the pitcher’s mound in the fifth inning against West Virginia on Tuesday night. The second-year Nittany Lion manager signaled to the bullpen, marking the end of starting pitcher Mason Butash’s outing.
Gambino took the ball, patted the sophomore on the back and told him he did an “awesome job” as his day was finished. Butash left the diamond with an ovation from a packed blue and white crowd after four and two-thirds scoreless innings — his longest outing of the season.
“I was really proud of (Butash) tonight,” Gambino said.