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Nittany Lions Open Spring Trip at YMBL Cardinal Classic This Weekend

March 3, 2010

Complete Release in PDF Format

• Following three extra-inning games to start the season, the Penn State baseball team looks to build on its success when it travels to Beaumont, Texas to play in the YMBL Cardinal Classic. The Nittany Lions will play four games in three days, against McNeese State (Friday), Dallas Baptist (Saturday) and Lamar (Saturday & Sunday).
• The Lions have yet to play a nine-inning game this season after seeing all three contests at the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge go to extra frames. Each game ended via a walk-off, two in Penn State's favor.
• Penn State will face McNeese State and Lamar for the first time ever while playing Dallas Baptist for only the second time in program history.
• This weekend marks the first of a three-legged Texas swing, followed by a two-game series at Texas A&M and three games at Texas State.
• Both those teams made the NCAA Tournament last season while Dallas Baptist and Lamar barely missed a tournament berth after finishing with records of 38-17 and 38-22, respectively.
• GameTracker will be available for each and every game. Friday's McNeese State radio broadcast will be streamed online. In addition, be sure to follow the Penn State Baseball Twitter page for continued updates.

Junior outfielder Heath Johnson enjoyed a big game against Seton Hall last Saturday.


Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday vs. McNeese State, 2:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. CT) | Listen Live
Penn State: Ryan Ignas (0-0, 2.57 ERA)
McNeese State: Tyler Davis (1-0, 6.75 ERA)

Saturday vs. Dallas Baptist, 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT)
Penn State: Neal Herring (0-0, 3.00 ERA)
Dallas Baptist: Stuart Pudenz (0-0, 5.00)

Saturday vs. Lamar, 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT)
Penn State: TBA
Lamar: TBA

Sunday vs. Lamar, 2:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. CT)
Penn State: TBA
Lamar: TBA

Last Weekend
2/26: Penn State 5, Cincinnati 4 (12 innings)
2/27: Penn State 3, Seton Hall 2 (13 innings)
2/28: Notre Dame 9, Penn State 8 (10 innings)

Upcoming Schedule
3/5: vs. McNeese State
3/6: vs. Dallas Baptist & at Lamar
3/7: at Lamar
3/9-10: at Texas A&M
3/12-14: at Texas State

Penn State Impresses at Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge
• Penn State went 2-1 on the weekend 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 last weekend 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, 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
• Last weekend's success truly 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 - 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.

Ben Heath "Cleaning Up"
• Junior catcher (and cleanup hitter) Ben Heath impressed with three home runs over the weekend, including two on Sunday against Notre Dame.
• He hit a no doubt home run (estimated by many as almost 450 feet) against Cincinnati Friday 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 Sunday. 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 three home runs thus far in a season have already tied a career-best.
• Five out of his six hits this season have gone for extra bases (also has two doubles).
• Incredibly, he already has as many extra-base hits this season (5) as he did in 27 games last year. Heath is slugging .944 so far in 2010.

From The Pocket To The "Hill"
• Freshman pitcher Steven Hill, also a quarterback on the football team, dazzled in his first collegiate appearances.
• On Friday, 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 on Sunday against Notre Dame, 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.

Impressive, Fresh Arms
• Four freshman pitchers saw time last weekend - 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, Saturday 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 on Saturday 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.

Junior Shortstop
Michael Glantz


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.

The Series With McNeese State
• The Nittany Lions face four teams for the first time this season - Cincinnati, McNeese State, Lamar and Hofstra. So far, Penn State is 1-0 against those teams, a 5-4 extra-inning win over the Bearcats last weekend.

Scouting McNeese State
• The Cowboys, out of the Southland Conference, are 4-3 on the young season, having swept Valparaiso, while also defeating Louisiana Tech. The squad also fought LSU tough, dropping a 2-1 final.
• Hitting has been the story for the squad, scoring an incredible 80 runs through those seven games (11.4/game). They've also given up 67 (9.6/game). The team has reached double figures in runs twice, including a 19-run outburst against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 27.
• The team has also swatted 13 home runs, led by three from Lee Orr and four from Steven Irvine and Blake Ellender. Four regulars, who have seen at least 20 at-bats, own averages above .400 - Andy Riche (.500, 13-for-26), Irvine (.414, 12-for-29) and Bryn Thompson (.407, 11-for-27).
• Friday's projected starter, Tyler Davis, has appeared in three games this season with two starts, owning a 1-0 record and 6.75 ERA. Dustin Lloyd has enjoyed an outstanding start to the year with a 1.04 ERA in three games, including one start. Jonathon Conrad and Zach Butler also own impressive ERAs of 2.84 and 3.86, respectively.

The Series With Dallas Baptist
• The only team that Penn State has ever faced out of the weekend trio is Dallas Baptist.
• The Lions won the previous matchup (on Mar. 9, 2005) by a 7-5 final, also at a neutral site.

Scouting Dallas Baptist
• A perennial power in collegiate baseball, the Patriots look to get back to the NCAA Tournament this year after failing to qualify last year.
• An independent, the squad has won 30 or more games every season this decade while surpassing 40 wins twice. Last year, they went 38-17.
• So far this season, Dallas Baptist has continued where it left off, posting a 6-2 record thus far. Its only loss came to the University of Texas, 7-2, while defeating Texas at Arlington and Western Michigan three times each.
• The squad is hitting an eye-popping .359 thus far, led by Travis Meiners (.464, 13-for-28), Ryan Behmanesh (.424, 14-for-33) and Tyler Robbins (.400, 14-for-35). Four others are hitting .300 or more.
• They have also swatted 12 home runs, including four from Duncan McAlpine, to go along with his 15 RBI.
• Dallas Baptist owns a solid 4.89 ERA, with two relievers - Brett Wade and Ben Palmer - owning perfect 0.00 ERAs. Stuart Pudenz, who is slated to start against the Lions on Friday, has a 5.00 ERA in two starts, without a record.

The Series With Lamar
• The Nittany Lions face four teams for the first time this season - Cincinnati, McNeese State, Lamar and Hofstra. So far, Penn State is 1-0 against those teams, a 5-4 extra-inning win over the Bearcats last weekend.

Scouting Lamar
• Lamar owns a 6-1 record on the young season. The Cardinals have had an interesting start to the campaign, defeating ninth nationally-ranked Rice while also winning a 17-inning classic over Maine. Their one loss came to North Dakota State, a series they won two-of-three.
• In total, nine who have started at least twice own a .300 or better batting average. Kevin Roebuck has played in five games, starting three times, and has a .417 average (5-for-14). Ted Zenteck has 22 at-bats thus far, with a .364 average. Lamar owns a .292 team average.
• The team's pitching has been solid, with a 4.18 team ERA. Incredibly, six have an ERA of 1.23 or fewer, while the other six have an ERA of 4.91 or greater. Two of those pitchers - Matison Smith and Spencer Cuniff - have racked up at least 10 innings while owning ERAs of fewer than one (0.69 and 0.90, respectively).

Redshirt Senior Pitcher
David Lutz


All-Time In Season Openers
• Penn State's win against Cincinnati last Friday 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
Jordan Steranka


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
Jesse Alfreno


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.

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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!

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