March 30, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State baseball team will welcome Bucknell in the Battle of Route 45 on Tuesday before taking on Kent State on Wednesday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in a rematch of last week's 9-2 victory. Tuesday's game begins at 6:35 p.m. while the contest against Kent State is set for 5:35 p.m.
The Nittany Lions (14-10 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) enter the two-game midweek homestand, winning seven of their last nine games. Penn State salvaged the rubber game of a three-game set against then-No. 16 Ohio State as the Nittany Lions walked over the Buckeyes, 15-11. Jordan Steranka batted 6-for-12 with four RBIs for the series.
The Bison and Nittany Lions will be playing their 144rd game against each other, the longest rivalry of any Penn State opponent. Overall, the Nittany Lions hold a 112-30-1 advantage over Bucknell. The Bison, despite representing the Patriot League several times at NCAA Regionals, have not won a game against their intrastate foe since 1998.
Paul Cianciolo, who won his first ever game in his last start at Temple, will take the mound for the Nittany Lions. Bucknell's Daniel Hart (1-0, 9.53 ERA) makes the start on Tuesday.
Kent State's Ryan Mace will duel against with Ryan Ignas in Wednesday's match-up. Ignas enters the game with a 2-0 record with a 6.05 ERA in 19.1 innings and will be making his first start as a Nittany Lion. Mace holds a 1-1 record this year with a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 innings of work. Neither pitcher saw action in last week's affair.
In last Tuesday's game against Penn State (March 24), Kent State jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but a seven-run fourth by Penn State led the Nittany Lions to victory 9-2. Steranka blasted a grand slam that left the Golden Flashes in the dust, while Mike Lorentson earned the victory.