Mike Lorentson returns after making 12 starts in 2008. Lorentson served as the Nittany Lions primary left-handed starting pitcher and looks to be the top southpaw starter this coming year. He moved to the starting role last season after being utilized primarily as a reliever during his sophomore campaign. As a player who was previously drafted by the San Diego Padres coming out of high school, Lorentson can advance his professional prospects with another reliable season for Penn State. He posted a 5.46 ERA and was tied for second on the team with four wins.
2008
Was a starting pitcher this year after being exclusively a reliever last year....Made 13 appearances this year, 12 of which were starts....Combined with Drew O[apos]Neil for Penn State[apos]s only shutout of the year vs. Lehigh (3-23)....Started the third game of Penn State[apos]s first four Big Ten series, then the fourth game in three of the final four Big Ten series, while coming out of the bullpen in the other series for his only relief appearance of the year....Second among starters with enough innings to qualify in ERA (5.48) and is also second on the team in starts (12)....Tied for second in wins (4)....Third in innings pitched (64.0)....Walked the second-fewest hitters of the starters (18)....Led the team and finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten in pickoffs with three.
Game-by-Game Highlights
_vs. Kennesaw State (3-1): Picked up his first win as a starter versus Kennesaw State as he went 6.1 innings and allowed six hits and three runs, walking one and striking out three.
_vs. Lehigh (3/23): Threw six shutout innings, allowing only three hits and striking out three in combining with Drew O[apos]Neil on the shutout and Penn State[apos]s only shutout of the year against the Mountain Hawks.
_vs. Ohio State (3/29): Notched his first Big Ten win as a starter by going 5.1 innings and scattering six hits and allowing just two runs against the Buckeyes.
_vs. Purdue (4-12): Pitched well, allowing only six hits and four runs in six innings but only got one run of support in a loss to Purdue.
_vs. Indiana (4/19): Kept Penn State in the game by allowing only two runs while scattering eight hits in five innings of work in a no-decision against Indiana in a game the Lions would go on to win.
_vs. Iowa (5/11): Set a career high for innings pitched by going 7.2 innings and scattering nine hits and allowing five runs while striking out four and only walking one in picking up his fourth win of the year and helping Penn State sweep Iowa.
Summer 2007
Pitched for the Petersburg Generals of the Coastal Plains League, where he was teammates with Cory Wine and Seth Whitehill....Compiled a 3-4 record with a tiny 1.99 ERA in 54.1 innings of work....Appeared in 12 games, starting seven and also had one save....Allowed just 12 earned runs (21 total), 37 hits and struck out 44....Held opposing hitters to a .198 average....Was fourth on the team in appearances and tied for second in starts and also had the third-most innings.
2007
Developed into a reliable left-handed reliever out of the bullpen as the season progressed in his first season back from injury....Was third among Penn State relievers with three wins out of the bullpen....Had a low 2.16 ERA and a 3-0 record in seven appearances in Big Ten play, allowing just two runs and five hits while limiting opposing Big Ten hitters to a .185 batting average....Did not allow any earned runs in five of his seven Big Ten appearances....Tied for fourth on the team in appearances with Gary Amato behind only Drew O[apos]Neil, Matt Ogrodnik and Paul Hawkins....Was the second-most used lefty out of the bullpen behind Ogrodnik.
Game-by-Game Highlights
_vs. Oral Roberts (3/15-16): Threw 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit in the first game of the Oral Roberts series. Worked two innings, facing the minimum as the game went into extra innings but then gave up a two-out home run that won the middle game of the series for Oral Roberts in the 11th inning.
_vs. Central Connecticut (3-25): Rebounded from that by pitching 3.2 innings in relief of Mark Wyner and scattering six hits while not allowing any runs vs. Central Connecticut.
_vs. Michigan State (4/15): Picked up the first win of his Penn State career in the third game of the MSU series as he threw 1.2 scoreless innings, facing just five batters while striking out one as Penn State rallied from a three-run deficit to win the game with four runs in the top of the seventh.
_vs. Michigan (5/13): Picked up another win for the second straight weekend to improve to 3-1 by pitching a career-high four shutout innings in the series finale at Michigan, allowing just one hit and one walk and retiring 11 of the 13 batters he faced.
_Big Ten Tournament (5/23): Tossed 2.1 innings of relief, allowing three hits and one run in the Big Ten Tournament vs. Ohio State (5-23).
2006
Sat out the season with an injury that he sustained prior to coming to Penn State and took a redshirt.
Cochise College
Played on a team that finished the season 45-16 and advanced to the regional championship....Went 5-0 in 49.2 innings of work as Cochise was ranked as high as third in the country.
Malvern Prep
First All-Inter Ac team, first team All-Main Line, third team All-City junior year; Second team All-Inter Ac team, First team All-Main Line, third team All-City senior year; Earned two varsity letters; Played in the Carpenter Cup; Also played basketball and football; Was drafted in the 38th round of the MLB Amateur Draft by the San Diego Padres.
Background
Michael Robert Lorentson was born on January 25, 1986 in Philadelphia, Pa.; Parents are Gary and Theresa; Brothers John (21), Dan (17) and sister Meghan (16). Michael is majoring in agricultural business management.