March 17, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format
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• The Nittany Lion baseball team looks to bounce back from a tough Texas road swing this weekend as the squad travels to Rock Hill, South Carolina for the Coca-Cola Classic hosted by Winthrop University. Penn State will play four games in three days - Kent State (Friday, 11 a.m.), Columbia (Saturday, 11 a.m.) and Winthrop (Saturday, 6 p.m.) along with the championship or consolation game on Sunday against one of those three teams.
• The Lions looks to build off a spirited finish to the road swing when they scored two ninth-inning runs on Sunday to tie the score at four.
• Ironically, Friday marks the first of three games against Kent State, all at different locations. Penn State will play the Golden Flashes on the road (Mar. 30) and at home (Mar. 31). Kent State is the third of five NCAA Tournament teams on the Nittany Lions' schedule.
• Fans can follow every game through Winthrop's . In addition, Kent State and Winthrop radio will be streamed online, along with video for the games against Winthrop. In addition, be sure to follow the Penn State Baseball Twitter page for continued updates.
Freshman Pitcher |
Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday, March 19, Penn State at Kent State, 11:00 AM ET | Listen Live
Penn State: Mike Wanamaker (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
Kent State: Ryan Mace (0-1, 5.79 ERA)
Saturday, March 20, Columbia at Penn State, 11:00 AM ET
Columbia: TBA
Penn State: Neal Herring (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Saturday, March 20, Penn State at Winthrop, 6:00 PM ET | Listen Live | Live Video
Penn State: Ryan Ignas (1-1, 4.26 ERA)
Dom Patterozzi (0-1, 8.64 ERA)
Sunday, March 21, Championship/Consolation, 11:00/2:30 ET Coverage TBA
Upcoming Schedule
3/19: vs. Kent State
3/20: vs. Columbia
3/20: at Winthrop
3/21: Championship/Consolation
3/23: at Pittsburgh
3/26: HOFSTRA
3/27: HOFSTRA (DH)
3/28: HOFSTRA
3/30: at Kent State
3/31: KENTSTATE
Experiencing The "States"
• The Nittany Lions are enjoying a mini tour of the United States this season, with early games in Florida, Texas and South Carolina while later traveling to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Minnesota.
• Fittingly, the squad is playing a number of "States."In total, they face five teams that end in State, including this weekend's opponent, Kent State. They've already played two - McNeese and Texas State - while also facing Ohio and Michigan State come conference season.
• Coppin State was also on the schedule, but the game scheduled for Feb. 20 was canceled due to snow.
Heaths' Haven
• Two "Heaths" are among Nittany Lions' offensive leaders.
• Junior Heath Johnson is the only two Penn State batters to reach base safely in all 12 games thus far. He has at least one hit in 11 of those contests and two hits in four. Johnson is tied for the team lead in hits with 17 and owns Penn State's longest hitting streak of the young season (seven games).
• Fellow junior Ben Heath has reached base in 11 of 12 games, recording a hit in 10 of those.
Ben Heath - Johnny Bench Award Candidate
• 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.
Tracking Heath: Season Updates
• Heath leads the Lions with a career-high four home runs, five doubles, nine RBI, a .615 slugging percentage and .954 OPS (on-base plus slugging). Penn State's cleanup hitter is also hitting .288, starting all 12 games - nine at catcher and the other three at DH.
• His hits have come at huge moments of games, starting in the season-opener vs. Cincinnati when his solo home run in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 deadlock.
• Then against Notre Dame, his seventh-inning home run pulled the Lions within one while his ninth-inning long ball tied the score at eight and forced extra innings. They came in consecutive at-bats to tie a career-high for home runs in a game.
• Against McNeese State, his home run doubled Penn State's lead from three (4-1) to six (7-1), serving as the key knockout blow on the way to a 12-6 win.
• Heath has also been strong defensively, posting a .981 fielding percentage while throwing out 30 percent of potential base stealers (6-of-20).
• In total, nine of his 15 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
Walking Off?
• Penn State has seen an incredible four of its first 12 games (33 percent) this season ended via a walk-off win, two in the Nittany Lions' favor.
• The first three games of the season ended in a walk-off, the first two ending in Penn State victories. Then, Texas State hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the ninth to even the Lions' "walk-off record" to 2-2.
Eramo Producing Runs
• Junior Mario Eramo has been efficient this season, racking up five RBI on eight hits.
• Three of his four RBI last series at Texas State didn't even come off a hit. He had a sacrifice fly in back-to-back games to start the series, while he had an RBI groundout as a pinch-hitter on Sunday.
• He has recorded at least one RBI in three straight games.
Wanamaker Returns
• Redshirt senior pitcher Mike Wanamaker returned to the mound against Texas A&M after missing last season due to injury. He was a Second Team All-Big Ten honoree as a junior in 2008.
• On a pitch count, he tossed the first four innings last Wednesday, 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 will return to the mound on Friday to face Kent State in the opening game of the Coca-Cola Classic.
Redshirt Senior Pitcher |
From The Pocket To The "Hill"
• Freshman pitcher Steven Hill, also a quarterback on the football team, has dazzled in his first collegiate appearances.
• He followed up his first-career start against Lamar (3/6), with another strong performance on Sunday against Texas State (3/14). For the second time in as many starts, he tossed six innings, this time allowing only two runs to keep Penn State in the game.
• 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.
"Perfect" At The Plate
• Redshirt freshman Elliot Searer impressed in his first career at-bats at Texas A&M last 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.
• Searer is currently hitting .444, but for a few days, was actually one of two Penn State players to own a perfect 1.000 career batting average up to that point. It took him until his third career game before he did not get a hit.
• Redshirt sophomore Drew Yukelson is also 2-for-2, both coming in his freshman season in 2008.
The Series With Columbia
• Columbia and Penn State have only faced each other twice all-time, with those meetings coming a full 67 years apart.
• After the Lions lost the first-ever meeting in 1933, Penn State bounced back in 2000 with a 13-10 neutral site win.
Scouting Columbia
• Columbia, on its week-long spring trip, stood at 2-6 as of Wednesday with its victories coming against UNLV (8-6) and Richmond (12-7). The Lions have played a challenging schedule against some power conferences, facing teams like UNLV (Mountain West), Richmond (Atlantic 10) and Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast).
• Leading the way offensively is Alexander Aurrichio with a .444 average, two home runs and nine RBI. He was named Ivy League Player of the Week on Tuesday after hitting home runs in back-to-back games against Richmond and Virginia Tech.
• Among those with 30 or more at-bats, Nick Ferraresi is hitting .355 with a team-leading 11 hits along with one home run and a team-leading 10 RBI. Five others are also hitting .300 or better, including Nick Crucet, who is batting an even .400.
• The Lions have struggled on the mound, owing a team ERA of 9.67. Roger Aquino has the best ERA (3.86) along with both of the team's wins. Zach Epstein has pitched 0.2 innings without allowing a run. Tim Giel racked up the team's only save while posting a 6.52 ERA.
The Series With Kent State
• These two squads have only faced three times in their history, all coming in the past three seasons.
• Penn State leads the series 2-1 overall, including splitting a pair of meetings last season.
• The Nittany Lions won the first two games, a 9-3 home win in 2007 and 9-2 road victory last season before dropping a 4-3 final at home last Apr. 1.
Scouting Kent State
• A 2009 NCAA Tournament team, Kent State has struggled so far in 2010, as it comes into the weekend with a 5-10 record. Three of those wins came against Wake Forest out of the ACC. The Golden Flashes also topped Western Kentucky and Illinois State. The squad enters the Coca-Cola Classic on a five game losing skid.
• Jimmy Rider paces the offense with a .328 average, having started all 15 games. He also has a team-leading 21 hits along with a home run and nine RBI.
• Five others are hitting .300 or better, including Travis Shaw who is tied with Anthony Gallas for the team lead in RBI (15). He also owns a team-leading four home runs.
• Pitching has been a struggle thus far with David Starn the only hurler with a winning record (2-1) while owning the best ERA among regular starters (6.35). Four players have an ERA of 2.50 or lower, including David Wright who hasn't allowed a run in four innings of work. Brennen Glass also has a miniscule 1.04 ERA in 8.2 innings pitched.
The Series With Winthrop
• Like Columbia, the all-time series against Winthrop is also tied. The squads have played eight times with each side winning four.
• All eight meetings came between 1996-2000, at Winthrop.
• The series has been extremely competitive with each team winning two consecutive games only once. Other than that, the squads have traded victories.
• The last meeting came in 2000, a 9-8 Eagles' victory. Penn State won a narrow 4-3 decision a day prior. In total, four of the eight games have been one-run affairs.
Junior Catcher |
Scouting Winthrop
• The Eagles have enjoyed a strong start to the season, winning 10 of their first 15 games, including seven consecutive to start the season. They're extremely tough at home, posting a 10-2 record at The Winthrop Ballpark.
• They've defeated Northwestern, George Mason, Marist (2X), Wagner (3X), Toledo, Canisius and Harvard. They also hung tough at Texas A&M, losing one game by only a 2-1 final.
• Pacing the offense is Chas Crane with a .352 batting average, two home runs and 10 RBI. He is one of five players with 10+ RBI, led by Matt Pierpont's 12. The team is hitting .304 with 10 of the 14 hitters who have recorded a plate appearance at .300 or above. Three are tied for the team lead in home runs with two - Crane, Pierpont and Adam Gliebe.
• Winthrop's impressive bullpen includes seven players with a 2.84 ERA or lower. Three, who have seen limited innings, haven't allowed an earned run while Eric Ruth has a 1.80 ERA in five innings and Greg Hough owns a 1.93 ERA in 9.1 innings. Robert Lake leads the team in wins (three) while owning a 2.70 ERA in four starts.
Returning To The Lone Star State
• The Texas road swing was 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 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 returned to the state where he played Major League Baseball. Wine played parts of two seasons with the Houston Astros from 1986-87.
Starting Quality
• Three Penn State pitchers - Ryan Ignas, Neal Herring and Steven Hill - have combined to toss six 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). He then allowed only two runs in the series finale at Texas State (3/14).
Batting Around
• The Nittany Lions had an inning to remember in the second against Dallas Baptist (3/6), 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.
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 as well.
• 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 vs. Cincinnati, 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.
A Team Effort
• The Big Ten/BIGEAST Challenge success came from a variety of sources.
• 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 - Game-tying triple with two outs in the ninth
• Then in the following day'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.
Impressive, Fresh Arms
• Four freshman pitchers saw time at the Big Ten/BIGEASTChallenge- 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 to start the season, 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 BIGEAST 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.
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.
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.
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! |
Baseball Alumni Event Set For May 7-8
• Penn State baseball's alumni event is set for May 7-8. The event coincides with Nittany Lion home games against Iowa at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. All baseball alumni are invited to attend. • Please contact the Varsity `S' Club Coordinator, Mike Milliron at varsitys@athletics.psu.edu or (814) 867-2202 with any questions or to RSVP.
• For more information, please click here.
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.