March 3, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. - Six games into the 2011 campaign, the Penn State baseball team looks to build upon its early-season successes as the Nittany Lions head to North Carolina for a three-game series with N.C. State beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. at Doak Field.
Penn State (3-3) enters the non-conference showdown after going 1-2 last weekend in a series at Eastern Kentucky. N.C. State (4-3) comes into play on a two-game roll, including a 3-2 victory over Davidson during the squad's home opener on Tuesday.
Until this series, the two historic programs have faced off only three times. North Carolina State won the previous bout, 3-2, on February 25, 2006. Penn State captured the first two contests after taking the inaugural game, 11-9, on April 22, 1924 and the second match-up, 8-2, on April 12, 1927.
During each of the three games this weekend, fans can catch the action by following Gametracker on GoPSUSports.com or tuning into the live audio and video streams available on N.C. State's website, GoPack.com. Those services are available through the university's All-Access package.
With a chance to go toe-to-toe with one of the premier programs in the ACC, the Nittany Lions have an opportunity to test themselves against a team that has competed in seven of the last eight NCAA Regionals. The series will serve as an early-season measuring stick and should help prepare the team for the tough Big Ten slate that looms ahead.
Early on in the season, the Penn State lineup has stacked up well against its opposition. Through six games, the squad is hitting a combined .282 with 34 runs scored. The team also found its power over the weekend, clubbing five home runs against Eastern Kentucky. Overall, the Lions have 23 extra-base hits during the 2011 campaign.
Batting in the leadoff position and serving as the driving force behind the offensive surge, Sean Deegan has started his junior campaign with a bang. A starter in five games, he has been at the forefront of the attack, posting a team-best .435 batting average with seven RBI and six extra-base hits. He also ranks second in the Big Ten with a .913 slugging percentage.
Blake Lynd, Jordan Steranka, and Ryan Clark have also gotten off to quick starts in 2011. All three veterans are hitting above .300, while Clark leads the team with two home runs and Lynd has a team-high .467 on-base percentage. Not to be outdone, Steranka is tied for the team-lead with five runs scored and ranks second with four RBI.
With the offense finding its rhythm, the Penn State pitching staff has also looked strong in the early going. Reliever Dave Walkling has yet to allow a run this season while boasting a 2-0 record and a .158 batting-average-against. Starters Heath Johnson and Steven Hill have also been bright spots in their first two starts, tossing a combined 21.1 innings while surrendering just eight earned runs.
Underclassmen have also been vital to the team's success in the early part of the season. Freshman relievers T.J. Jann, Scott Dixon, and Geoff Boylston all hold pristine 0.00 ERAs, while a pair of highly-regarded offensive prospects made their collegiate debuts last weekend.
Zach Ell and Alex Farkes both made their first appearances of the season in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Colonels. Although they both competed in the team's exhibition contest against the Nexen Heroes of Korea, their first official action came last weekend. Farkes made the most of his debut, working a walk and scoring a run in the contest.
Headlining N.C. State's attack is a potent combination at the top of the batting order. Brett Williams and Pratt Maynard have held down the top two spots in the Wolfpack lineup during each of the last two games and enter the weekend hitting a combined .434 with 14 runs scored. Chris Diaz has also been a solid contributor, posting a .440 average with a home run and five RBI.
Equally as skilled on the mound, N.C. State will trot out right-handers Cory Mazzoni, Josh Easley, and Danny Healey during the three-game series. The three aces have combined to make six starts and strike out 27 while limiting the opposition to a .256 batting average over 33.1 innings of work.
Raleigh, N.C. simply serves as the starting point of Penn State's annual Spring Break trip. During a 10-day tour of North Carolina and Virginia, PSU will square off with Old Dominion and Norfolk State after its series with N.C. State. Overall, the team will compete in nine contests before returning to Happy Valley.
Early next week, the Lions will continue their road swing with a two-game set against ODU in Norfolk, Va. on March 8-9. Then, Penn State will wrap up its trip with a four-game series against the NSU Spartans from March 11-13.