March 11, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format
- Season Stats | Media Guide | Tickets | Quick Facts | Archived Game Notes | Twitter | YouTube Channel
• The Penn State baseball team looks to snap a four-game losing skid when it plays 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Texas State in a three-game series this weekend. The Nittany Lions are coming off a tough two-game set at Big 12 power Texas A&M, which was highlighted by redshirt senior Mike Wanamaker's return to the mound. Fans can listen into the weekend's action via Texas State's broadcast. Gametimes are set for 7:30 p.m. (Friday), 3:00 p.m. (Saturday) and 12:00 p.m. (Sunday), all times ET.
• The Bobcats are the third Southland Conference team that the Lions play as they round out their Texas road swing. They defeated McNeese State to start the trip while dropping a pair to Lamar. Texas State, a 2009 NCAA Regional participant, was picked to win the Southland this year.
• Fans can follow all the action through GameTracker along with Texas State radio. In addition, be sure to follow the Penn State Baseball Twitter page for continued updates.
Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) | Listen Live | Twitter Updates
Penn State: Ryan Ignas (1-0, 2.81 ERA)
Texas State: Michael Russo (1-0, 2.29 ERA)
Saturday, 3:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. CT) | Listen Live | Twitter Updates
Penn State: Neal Herring (1-0, 3.46 ERA)
Texas State: Brian Borski (1-2, 6.75 ERA)
Ryan Ignas makes his third start of the season on Friday. |
Sunday, 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT) | Listen Live | Twitter Updates
Penn State: Steven Hill (1-1, 2.13 ERA)
Texas State: Lee Colon (2-1, 4.26 ERA)
Texas Road Trip
3/5: Penn State 12, McNeese State 6
3/6: Penn State 10, Dallas Baptist 4
3/6: Lamar 4, Penn State 0
3/7: Lamar 8, Penn State 3
3/9: Texas A&M 17, Penn State 3
3/10: Texas A&M 7, Penn State 0
Upcoming Schedule
3/12-14: at Texas State
3/19: vs. Kent State
3/20: vs. Columbia
3/20: vs. Winthrop
3/21: TBA
Heaths' Haven
• Two "Heaths" are leading the Nittany Lions' offensive attack.
• Juniors Ben Heath and Heath Johnson are the only two Penn State batters to reach base safely in all nine games this season.
• They've each recorded a hit in eight of those contests.
Wanamaker Returns
• Redshirt senior pitcher Mike Wanamaker returned to the mound on Wednesday against Texas A&M after missing last season due to injury.
• On a pitch count, he tossed the first four innings, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out four.
• After allowing two runs in the first inning, he bounced back by striking out the side in the second. He retired nine of 10 hitters in a span bridging the first through fourth innings.
• Wanamaker was a Second Team All-Big Ten honoree as a junior in 2008.
"Perfect" At The Plate
• Redshirt freshman Elliot Searer impressed in his first career at-bats at Texas A&M this week.
• He entered as a late defensive replacement in both Tuesday and Wednesday night's games, picking up a base hit in his only at-bat of each game.
• Ironically, he is one of two Penn State players to own a perfect 1.000 career batting average up to this point.
• Redshirt sophomore Drew Yukelson is also 2-for-2, both coming in his freshman season in 2008.
Returning To The Lone Star State
• The Texas road swing is extra special for four players on the Penn State roster who are from the lone star state: Mario Eramo (Houston), Steven Hill (Colleyville), Blake Lynd (Deer Park) and Erik Rumberger (Allen).
• Junior Heath Johnson also played junior college ball at Frank Phillips College in Texas and played for the Texas Collegiate League's Coppell Copperheads last summer.
• Head coach Robbie Wine also returns to the state where he played Major League Baseball. Wine played parts of two seasons with the Houston Astros from 1986-87.
Ben Heath already has eight extra-base hits this season. |
Heath's Hot Hitting
• Junior catcher Ben Heath isn't the only Heath to impress early in the season. Not only has Ben torn it up with eight extra-base hits (four home runs, four doubles) through nine games, but Heath Johnson has impressed early in his Penn State career as well.
• Johnson owns Penn State's longest hitting streak of the young season (seven games) and is one of two Nittany Lions to reach base safely in all nine games this season. He finished with two hits in three of those contests.
• Three other players - Joey DeBernardis, Sean Deegan and Ben Heath - are tied for Penn State's second longest hit streak of the season, five games.
Starting Quality
• Three Penn State pitchers - Ryan Ignas, Neal Herring and Steven Hill - have combined to toss five quality starts this season.
• Ignas allowed two runs (both earned) in seven innings against Cincinnati (2/26) and McNeese State (3/5), both Nittany Lion victories.
• Herring one-upped his strong performance against Seton Hall (2/27) when he allowed two earned runs in six innings, by allowing only one earned run in six frames against Dallas Baptist (3/6). That led to his first-career victory.
• In his first-career start, Hill dazzled in his home state of Texas, allowing only one earned run in six against Lamar (3/6).
Batting Around
• The Nittany Lions had an inning to remember in the second against Dallas Baptist last Saturday, batting around while crossing the plate seven times to take early control against the Patriots.
• It marked the first time they've batted around since last April 11, an 11-9 win over Purdue.
• The seven runs were the most in an inning since scoring seven in the fourth against Kent State on March 24, 2009. The last time Penn State scored more than seven was on May 11, 2008 when it crossed the plate eight times in the fifth inning vs. Iowa.
• Sophomore Joey DeBernardis had two hits in the inning, the first Penn State player to accomplish that feat since Mike Deese on March 9, 2008. He finished with two hits in the fourth inning against Air Force.
The Series With Texas State
• The Nittany Lions have only faced Texas State twice in their history, losing both by slim margins.
• One of the meetings came on the road while the other was at a neutral site.
• The squads haven't meet since 2004.
• Ironically, both meetings came at (or around) the same date as this year's series - March 8th (1999) and 12th (2004).
Scouting Texas State
• The Bobcats, who enter the game with a 5-6 record, are coming off a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to No. 3 Texas on Tuesday. The squad was leading 2-0 until the seventh, when Texas scored one in the seven and three more in the eighth for the victory.
• Texas State is coming off an NCAA Tournament season in 2009 in which it garnered a No. 2 seed at the Austin Regional.
• The squad has played a tough schedule thus far, with its wins coming against Houston (3X) and A&M Corpus Christi (2X). It has also hung tough with teams like Baylor, Texas A&M and Rice.
• Leading the Bobcat offense is Andrew Stumph, the only hitter with better than a .300 batting average. He is hitting .393 with a home run and three RBI. Kyle Livingstone is hitting .279 with a team-leading three home runs and 10 RBI.
• Starting pitching is paced by Michael Russo, who has pitched a team-leading 19.2 innings while owning a team-best 2.29 ERA among starters. Carson Smith, who has started twice, also owns an impressive ERA at 2.79 in 19.2 innings with two saves.
• Two relief pitchers - Jeff McVaney and Bryant Rutledge - have perfect 0.00 ERAs in limited innings. Covey Morrow owns a 2.08 ERA.
Penn State Impresses At Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge
• Penn State went 2-1 from Feb. 26-28 to tie for the top record of any Big Ten teams at the challenge.
• No Big Ten squad finished undefeated while a total of five finished 2-1. Louisville and St. John's out of the BIG EAST both went 3-0.
• It marks the second consecutive season that the Lions went 2-1 at the challenge. Last year, they were one of six Big Ten squads to do so.
Going Extra
• Not only did all three games at the challenge end in extra innings, but they all ended in walk-offs too.
• For perspective, Penn State had three extra-inning games ALL of last season, three in 2008 and four in 2007.
• The Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge has seen four extra-inning games in its two-year history, three coming from Penn State this year.
Comeback Kids
• Penn State had to come back in the eighth inning or later in all three games to force extra innings.
• Down by two in the opener, the squad was down to its last out (and strike) when junior Michael Glantz and senior Louie Picconi recorded back-to-back singles. Freshman Steve Snyder followed with a triple down the right field line to clear the bases and tie the score at four.
• Then on Saturday, Snyder led off the bottom of the eighth with a single, advanced to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch. He crossed the plate on a Heath Johnson sacrifice fly to even the score at two.
• The Lions came back twice on Sunday, scoring two runs in the seventh to knot the score at seven. Then after Notre Dame retook the lead, a Ben Heath home run to lead off the ninth tied the score for a second time, forcing extra innings once again.
Ben Heath "Cleaning Up"
• Junior catcher (and cleanup hitter) Ben Heath impressed with three home runs that weekend, including two on Sunday against Notre Dame.
• He hit a no doubt home run (estimated by many as almost 450 feet) against Cincinnati to break a 1-1 deadlock in the bottom of the sixth.
• He then hit a pair of home runs (in consecutive at-bats) against Notre Dame. The first came in the seventh inning while the second, leading off the ninth, tied the score at eight.
• His two home runs for a game tie a career-high and his four home runs this season have already set a career-best.
• Eight of his 12 hits this season have gone for extra bases (also has four doubles).
• Incredibly, he already has more extra-base hits this season (8) than he did in 27 games last year. Heath is slugging .667 so far in 2010.
A Team Effort
• The Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge success came from a variety of sources.
• On Friday, here is what the following players contributed in the win over Cincinnati:
• Sophomore Joey DeBernardis - Walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th
• Junior Ben Heath - Double and home run
• Freshman Steven Hill - Retired all eight batters he faced (in innings 10-12) for the win
• Sophomore Ryan Ignas - Strong start, allowing only two runs in seven innings
• Freshman Steve Snyder - Two-run game-tying triple with two outs in the ninth
• Then in Saturday's 3-2 walk-off win in 13 against Seton Hall:
• Junior Heath Johnson - Tripled and scored in the first, later drove in game-tying run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly
• Sophomore Jordan Steranka - Two hits, including leadoff double and game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th
• Junior Mario Eramo - Walk-off single in the bottom of the 13th
• Freshman Neal Herring - Started and allowed only two runs in six innings of first collegiate game.
• Entire Bullpen: Redshirt senior David Lutz, freshman John Walter and junior Jesse Alfreno tossed seven scoreless innings, only allowing four hits. In total, Penn State pitchers kept Seton Hall off the board for the final eight innings.
From The Pocket To The "Hill"
• Freshman pitcher Steven Hill, also a quarterback on the football team, has dazzled in his first collegiate appearances.
• Against Cincinnati (2/26), he was summoned with runners on the corners and only one out in the top of the 10th. He struck out the first batter on three pitches before inducing a groundout to end the threat (all strikes). He then went on to retire six in a row in the 11th and 12th innings for the win.
• Then against Notre Dame (2/28), he pitched three innings in relief, only allowing one run to go along with six strikeouts. He got out of a bases loaded one out jam in the bottom of the ninth with two consecutive strikeouts.
• He had his first-career start against Lamar (3/6), allowing only one earned run in six innings.
Freshman Pitcher |
Impressive, Fresh Arms
• Four freshman pitchers saw time lat the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge- Neal Herring, Steven Hill, Erik Rumberger, John Walter - and combined to throw 15.1 innings, only allowing five earned runs for a 2.98 "group" ERA.
• Herring received the only start, against Seton Hall, and only allowed two runs in six innings.
JuCo Transfers Making An Impact
• Penn State has a number of new junior college transfers on this year's squad, led by Mario Eramo and Heath Johnson. Each made their mark last weekend, especially against Seton Hall.
• Eramo had the walk-off single against Seton Hall while Johnson tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Johnson also hit a first-inning triple and scored to get the Lions on the board.
• C.J. Smith is also a new junior college transfer, who is expected to redshirt this season.
All-Time In Season Openers
• Penn State's win against Cincinnati improved its all-time record in season openers to 74-46.
• It was only the Lions' third win in their last nine season-openers. Their six losses have come against some of the nation's best teams: 2009 (St. John's), 2007 (Kansas State), 2006 (Tulane), 2005 (Charlotte), 2004 (Virginia) and 2003 (Arizona State). They did defeat High Point in 2008 and Norfolk State in 2002.
• Penn State posted an impressive 19 straight season-opening wins, spanning from 1948-1966.
All-Time Against The BIG EAST
• With the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge destined to stay for the foreseeable future, the Nittany Lions will have their annual opportunity to face one of the top conferences in the nation.
• Taking two-of-three last weekend, Penn State improved their all-time record against current members of the BIG EAST to 262-137-2.
• The squad has faced Pittsburgh the most (120 times) while also playing West Virginia (105), Villanova (59) and Rutgers (54) numerous times.
• Penn State has now never faced one squad - Louisville.
• In total, Penn State plays five BIG EAST teams this season, the most of any conference (other than the Big Ten) - Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Villanova.
Ben Heath Named To Johnny Bench Award Watch List
• Penn State junior Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.) was one of 53 Division I catchers named to the Watch List for the Coleman Company Johnny Bench Award delivered by Papa John's Pizza, as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission on Monday. Named in honor of the former Cincinnati Reds' great, the award is presented to the top catcher in Division I.
• Heath is one of five Big Ten catchers named to the list.
Baseball's Season-Opening Weekend Canceled Due To Snow
• The Penn State baseball team's season-opening weekend at Longwood University was canceled due to snow pack. The Nittany Lions were scheduled to play a neutral site game against Coppin State on Saturday before facing host Longwood on Sunday.
• Southern Virginia received a significant amount of snow in the past weeks, which made the field unplayable.
Nittany Lions Take Part In THON
• With its season-opening weekend canceled, the Penn State baseball team made the most of it by getting involved in THON at the Bryce Jordan Center. The 38th annual Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon began on Friday (Feb. 19) at 6 p.m. and lasted until Sunday at 4 p.m., raising more than $7.8 million for pediatric cancer research.
• Penn State student-athletes have always been heavily involved in THON. Baseball is normally on the road THON weekend, but with the games at Longwood canceled, the Nittany Lions were on campus, giving them the opportunity to participate. Despite being too late to enter the pep rally, the squad found time between a busy weekend of practice for Athlete Hour on Saturday.
Baseball's Big Ten Network Schedule Released
• The Penn State baseball team will be featured at least six times on the Big Ten Network in 2010.
• The Nittany Lions open the Big Ten Network's coverage on Apr. 2 at Illinois. All three games from the weekend series can be viewed on BigTenNetwork.com.
• Penn State's complete home series vs. Iowa from May 7-9 will be shown live on the Big Ten Network as well.
• Should they make the conference tournament, the Nittany Lions would see additional games aired on the Big Ten Network. Each and every game will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
• For the complete story, please click here
Big Ten Baseball Tournament To Be Held In Columbus Through 2010
• The Big Ten Conference, Huntington Park and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission announced that Columbus, Ohio, will be home to the Big Ten Baseball Tournament for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons.
• The Big Ten played its first neutral-site tournament since 1994 at Columbus' Huntington Park in 2009 and will return to the ballpark in 2011 and 2012.
• Due to a facility conflict, the 2010 tournament will be held at Ohio State's Bill Davis Stadium.
• For the complete story, please click here
Nittany Lions Release Complete Ticket & Promotional Information
• Penn State baseball single-game and group tickets went on sale on Monday (Feb. 1) at 9 a.m. An action-packed promotional schedule is now available as well. The Nittany Lions play 21 home dates (and 22 games) at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, beginning with their home-opening weekend from Mar. 26-28 against Hofstra.
• Ticket prices remain the same as last season with "In The Box" reserved seats for only $6 while Adult General Admission is $4 and Youth and Student General Admission are $2. In addition, groups of 20 or more can purchase General Admission tickets for only $3.
• Tickets can be purchased online or over the phone. Please call 1-877-997-7453 or (814) 272-1711, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Fans can also direct any additional questions or comments via phone, or by email (psubaseball@athletics.psu.edu).
• For more information, please click here
Baseball Signs Seven Top Recruits To National Letters Of Intent
• Penn State head baseball coach Robbie Wine announced in November the signing of seven top recruits to National Letters of Intent.
• Among the class are five of the top prospects from Pennsylvania and two from Massachusetts. The group, that will join the program in the fall of 2010, consists of two pitchers, three position players and two others who can both pitch and play in the field.
• Among the incoming freshmen are five from the Keystone State: right-handed pitcher Scott Dixon (Blairsville), outfielder Zach Ell (Plains), third baseman Kyle Redinger (Lebanon), pitcher/infielder Austin Urban (Windber) and left-handed pitcher Greg Welsh (Holland). They are set to join 15 Nittany Lion underclassmen from Pennsylvania who are scheduled to return in the fall of 2010.
• Along with the Pennsylvania talent, the Nittany Lions will welcome two from Massachusetts: catcher Alex Farkes (Boston) and right-handed pitcher/infielder TJ Jann (Westford).
• For the complete story, please click here
Nittany Lions Ride Roller Coaster In 2009
• The Penn State baseball team entered the `09 season with high hopes. After starting the year on fire, the Lions fell short of reaching their third-consecutive Big Ten Tournament. Despite the disappointment, the squad did finish with a 25-26 record, one of only four Big Ten teams (along with Illinois, Michigan and Ohio State) to post 25 or more victories in each of the last three seasons.
• The Nittany Lions won 13 of their first 21 games and 21 of their first 35. Included in that stretch was taking two of three at the inaugural Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge. They were one of six Big Ten squads to finish the weekend with a winning record.
• They then went on to battle at #4 Texas, but were swept by the powerhouse Longhorns. Included was a nail-biting 1-0 defeat in which senior T.J. Macy sparkled on the mound.
• Penn State subsequently won six of its next nine, but the best was yet to come as the Lions followed with six straight wins in the latter stages of March. After the streak was snapped, they rebounded with a thrilling 15-11 victory over #16 Ohio State on Mar. 29.
• Success continued into the beginning of April, with notable wins coming against perennial conference power Michigan, eventual NCAA qualifier Indiana and Big Ten Tournament participant Purdue. The Nittany Lions would finish the year having beaten four of the six tournament participants at least once.
• Following their huge win over Indiana on Apr. 17, the Nittany Lions would struggle down the stretch.
• Penn State was still alive for a postseason berth heading into the final weekend of the regular season at home. Despite dropping the first two games against #21 Minnesota to eliminate any postseason aspirations, the Lions would ultimately have a say in the Big Ten race. They then went on to a thrilling 10-8 win on May 16 amidst two rain delays to prevent the Golden Gophers from winning the Big Ten Regular Season Championship, while also concluding the season on a positive note.
Sophomore Third Baseman |
Freshmen Ignas & Steranka Highlight Big Ten Postseason Honors
• Penn State freshmen Ryan Ignas and Jordan Steranka were both named to the All-Big Ten Third Team, marking the first time since 1995 that the Nittany Lions netted multiple freshmen on the All-Conference squad.
• Ignas enjoyed an impressive rookie season, leading the team in both wins and saves. He was one of just 10 players in all of Division I to accomplish that feat. He appeared in 22 games (two starts) with a 5-1 record, 5.31 ERA and 1.25 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched). He posted five saves while holding opponents to a .270 average.
• Steranka made his mark on Penn State baseball history, becoming the program's all-time single-season hits leader for a freshman. The third baseman tallied 70 and also earned the team's "triple crown," leading in average (.365), home runs (6) and RBI (42). He was atop triples (3) and runs scored (39) as well.
• In addition to All-Conference accolades, Steranka was a unanimous choice as the All-Freshman Team third baseman.
• Ryan Boonie was awarded the Sportsmanship Award, which is presented to one player from each of the Big Ten baseball programs.
Hitting Streaks Aplenty
• The 2009 season saw a number of lengthy hitting streaks from Penn State players.
• The top came from freshman Jordan Steranka (18 games), which was tied for fourth in program history.
• In addition, senior Blake Lynd and sophomore Grant Youngblood saw streaks reach 14 games, tied for 15th all-time.
• In fact, Youngblood's streak was actually 15 games dating back to the final game of 2008. That mark is the fourth-longest to bridge two seasons.
• Louie Picconi also posted a career-best 11-game hitting streak.
• All the impressive marks are still far from the Penn State all-time leader, Michael Campo, whose streak reached 41 games in 2000.
Milestone Game For Penn State Baseball
• Penn State played in its 3,000th all-time game on Mar. 1 of last season. Fittingly, it came against the winningest program in NCAA history, Texas.
• The Nittany Lions stand in the top 50 in all-time winning percentage among schools with a minimum of 25 years in Division I. Their all-time record is 1,835-1,188-21 (.606).
• Baseball is the oldest intercollegiate sport at Penn State, dating back to its debut in 1875. This season marks the Nittany Lions' 122nd in program history due to not fielding a team for several years in the late 1880s. Penn State is one of only a select few schools in the nation to boast a team for at least 120 years.
Junior Pitcher |
Lutz, Alfreno Emerge In Pen
• Lefty David Lutz and righty Jesse Alfreno impressed in the bullpen last season, finishing atop the team in ERA (3.38 and 4.44, respectively). Both took very different paths to where they are today as arguably the top pitchers in the Lions' pen.
• Lutz, a former walk-on was Penn State's most consistent pitcher in 2009, finishing with a 4-2 record and three saves to go with his stout ERA. Batters only hit .247 again him.
• Alfreno, also a member of the Penn State football team, impressed in his first collegiate baseball season. He made his mark from the beginning, going nine innings spanning his first five appearances before allowing a run. Opponents only hit .226 against him for the year.
• The duo allowed fewer hits than innings pitched. The only other Nittany Lion with at least 10 innings of work to accomplish that was T.J. Macy, who gave up 76 base knocks in a team-leading 76.1 innings.
Cory Wine Finishes Penn State Career Among Program's Best
• First baseman Cory Wine concluded his collegiate career in 2009 among Penn State's career statistical leaders in a number of categories.
• One of the top hitters last year and throughout his entire career, he finished his senior season with a .307 average, five home runs and 41 RBI.
• He leaves as the Penn State all-time leader in three categories: at-bats (799), putouts (1,903) and sacrifice flies (13, tie).
• Wine is also third in career hits (228), triples (9) and total bases (338), fifth in RBI (128), sixth in doubles (44) and eighth in walks (85).
• His 458 putouts last season were third in single-season history. Wine owns the top four all-time slots.
Three From Penn State Selected In Major League Baseball Draft
• Three Penn State student-athletes were selected in June's Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Pitcher Scott Kelley was chosen in the 23rd round, first baseman Cory Wine in the 38th and Nittany Lion football player Anthony Scirrotto in the 50th.
• Kelley was the first selectee, going to the Kansas City Royals with the 692nd overall pick.
• The following day, Wine was picked in the 38th round (1,157th overall) by his grandfather's old team, the Philadelphia Phillies. Bobby played eight seasons for the Phillies in the 1960s.
• Then, a surprise selection came as Penn State football safety Scirrotto was chosen in the 50th round, also by the Royals. Scirroto last played baseball in high school, but was highly-touted and considered by many as a potential second-round Major League Draft selection coming out of high school. He chose to play football at Penn State rather than pursuing a baseball career.
Former Nittany Lion Clark Invited To San Francisco Giants' Spring Training
• Former Penn State pitcher Craig Clark (Phoenixville, Pa.) is one of 22 non-roster invitees heading to San Francisco Giants' Spring Training this February, as announced by the club.
• Clark, who will participate in his first-ever Major League Spring Training, is among some of the Giants' top prospects heading to Scottsdale, Ariz.
Former Penn Staters Impress In The Professional Ranks
• Former Nittany Lions continued to represent Penn State well in the pros in 2009, highlighted by Craig Clark's emergence as a dominant pitcher in the California League (High-A).
• The San Jose Giants pitcher finished the year with a 16-2 record and 2.86 ERA to win the league's pitcher of the year honors. He was promoted to Double-A Connecticut to finish the season and pitched against both New Britain and Akron in the Eastern League Playoffs.
• Clark also made news on June 1 by striking out 10 consecutive Stockton Port batters to tie a California League record. He finished the season among the league leaders in K's with 135 in 147.2 innings of work.
• Also emerging was David Aardsma of the Seattle Mariners, who had a breakout season in his first experience as a Major League closer. Aardsma, who pitched in Happy Valley in 2001, finished the season tied for fourth in the American League in saves with 38. He also struck out 80 batters in 71.1 innings, only allowing 49 hits for a miniscule .190 batting average against. He posted a career-best 2.52 ERA for the year.
• Another feel-good story came from pitcher and former first round pick Nate Bump. After winning a World Series with the Marlins in 2003, he bounced around and eventually found himself with the Independent League's Camden Riversharks last season. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers' organization midseason and dazzled at Triple-A Toledo, going 7-1 in only 10 starts with a 2.38 ERA. The three-year big league veteran has a 4.68 career ERA, all with the Florida Marlins. The 34-year old looks to make it back to the majors for the first time since 2005.
• A number of other pitchers impressed in 2009 with Clayton Hamilton and Sean Stidfole both reaching and enjoying success at the Triple-A level. Hamilton posted a 4.46 ERA between the Texas Rangers' Double-A and Triple-A teams while Stidfole's season ERA was 3.74 in the Toronto Blue Jays' system.
• Gary Amato (1.89 ERA), Scott Gaffney (3.88), Scott Kelley (1.94) and Drew O'Neil (2.54) also excelled in the lower minors.
Vote For The Top Moment Of The 2000s!
• With the 2000s coming to a close, we took some time to look back on a decade of Penn State baseball's most memorable games.
• Five of the top games are highlighted, so here's your chance to vote for your favorite memory. Just click here to vote. Voting will remain open all season.
Baseball Camp Information Now Available
• Baseball camp information is now available.
• Just call the Sports Camp Office at (814) 865-0561 or email them at SportCampInfo@outreach.psu.edu for more information.
• Also, visit them on their website by clicking here.
Click here to order your media guide today! |
2010 Media Guide Now Available
• The 2010 media guide is now available! In it, you can find everything you need to know about Penn State baseball including stats, player bios, a complete history section and MUCH more!
• The guide is available for PDF download, for view through the interactive website Issuu or for purchase.
• Hard copies are available for only $7. They can be purchased through the publications store on GoPSUsports.com.
• Just click here for all the information!
Sign Up For Penn State Baseball News
• Fans, want to stay up to date on the Penn State baseball team? Sign up today by contacting Justin Lafleur (jal47@psu.edu) in the Penn State Athletic Communications Department. You will receive game previews, game recaps, news releases and more, straight to your inbox!
Follow Penn State Baseball On Twitter!
• Penn State baseball is on Twitter! You can find exclusive notes and features to help stay one step ahead when following the Nittany Lions.
• Included will be live in-game scoring updates, so if you can't make it to Happy Valley, you'll still be able to follow all the action. Go to www.twitter.com and search for the username psubaseball. Or click here!
Check Back To GoPSUsports.com For Exclusive Video!
• New this season is exclusive postgame highlights and interviews on GoPSUsports.com. Check back often to the Penn State baseball YouTube page for more highlight and interview packages as the season progresses.