June 19, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A number of Penn State baseball players are participating in summer leagues around the country as they prepare for the 2010 season. In total, nine student-athletes, including star hitter Jordan Steranka, are scattered in seven different collegiate baseball leagues nation-wide. The Nittany Lions are looking to build on some big wins from 2009 as they prepare for 2010 under the direction of sixth-year head coach Robbie Wine.
The Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League features sophomore outfielder Sean Deegan (Jersey Pilots), senior pitcher Mike Pierce (Lehigh Valley Catz), and sophomore pitcher Mike Franklin (Quakertown Blazers). Deegan has appeared in three games thus far (starting two) while hitting .200 (1-for-5) with a run scored. Pierce struck out the only batter he faced in Lehigh Valley's season-opener, and Franklin has appeared in two games (starting one) while posting a 1.93 ERA through 4.2 innings pitched, allowing four hits and one earned run with five strikeouts.
Sophomore third baseman Steranka, who finished his freshman season with a team-leading .365 batting average, jumped right into the Winchester (Va.) Royals' lineup (The Valley League) as the clean-up hitter. Through 10 games, he's played in nine and started eight. He is hitting .158, but does have a home run and five RBIs, one shy of the team lead.
Sophomore pitcher Drew Irsfeld has impressed early on for the Hawai'i Aliis with a 3.86 ERA through three appearances. He already has a win under his belt and has struck out four through seven innings of work.
Junior infielder Jack Greenberg (Butler BlueSox, The Prospect League), junior catcher, Ben Heath (Martinsville Mustangs, Coastal Plains League), sophomore catcher Ryan Clark (Lake Erie Monarchs, The Great Lakes League), and 2010 incoming transfer Heath Johnson (Coppell Copperheads, Texas Collegiate League) are all in action as well.
Check back to GoPSUsports.com all summer long for updates on these players in summer action.
Here is the complete list:
Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League: Sean Deegan (Jersey Pilots), Mike Pierce (Lehigh Valley Catz), Mike Franklin (Quakertown Blazers)
The Valley League: Jordan Steranka (Winchester Royals)
The Great Lakes League: Ryan Clark (Lake Erie Monarchs)
The Prospect League: Jack Greenberg (Butler Blue-Sox)
Coastal Plains League: Ben Heath (Martinsville Mustangs)
Hawaii Baseball League: Drew Irsfeld (Hawaii Alii's)
Texas Collegiate League: Heath Johnson (Coppell Copperheads)