March 7, 2011
NORFOLK, Va. - During the squad's annual spring break trip, the Penn State baseball team will continue its travels and venture to Norfolk, Va. for a two-game, midweek series against Colonial Athletic Association power Old Dominion at the Bud Metheny Complex beginning on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Nine games are on the schedule for Penn State (5-4) during the squad's 10-day tour through North Carolina and Virginia. After taking two of the first three against NC State over the weekend, the Nittany Lions look to continue their winning ways during the two midweek contests against Old Dominion (7-5).
In-game live stats will be available for both games through GoPSUSports.com.
Coming off of an outstanding performance during a series against NC State that opened Penn State's southern tour, the Nittany Lions will square off with Old Dominion riding a wave of momentum. Over the weekend, PSU went 2-1 against the Wolfpack, including a strong 9-4 showing in the series finale on Saturday.
Excellent starting pitching was the key to the team's success against NC State. Heath Johnson, John Walter, and Steven Hill combined to toss 17.2 innings and allow just 12 hits while striking out eight. The three aces posted a 1.53 ERA and held the potent Wolfpack lineup to a .194 batting average.
Behind the starting staff, relievers Greg Welsh, Jesse Alfreno, Scott Dixon, and Mike Pierce all looked strong as well, holding NC State scoreless over 4.2 innings of work out of the bullpen. Dave Walkling also picked up his team-best third victory of the season in relief on Friday.
Extremely versatile in the field, Luis Montesinos also showed his skills at the plate after leading Penn State with a .500 batting average against NC State. During the series, he split time between second base and rightfield while also recording an out on the mound in the series finale.
Not to be overlooked, Sean Deegan continued his outstanding season with five hits, four RBI, and three runs scored against the Wolfpack. After three weeks, he leads the Big Ten with an incredible .833 slugging percentage, which is nearly 100 points higher than the next closest player. He also ranks eighth in the league with a .417 batting average.
In the opposing dugout will be a team that relies on an excellent pitching staff. Through 12 games, ODU pitchers have combined to post a 2.57 ERA with 88 strikeouts while holding the opposition to a .211 batting average. Ben Tomchick leads the way with a 2-1 record on the mound, while Phil McCarthy has tossed a pair of complete games and Adam Wisniewski has posted four saves with a pristine 0.00 ERA.
Chris Baker has been the standout offensively for the Monarchs, leading the team with a .354 batting average, four home runs, and 17 RBI. Brent Frazier also has a .333 average, while Nathan Hartman is hitting .302 with 11 RBI and six runs scored.
Eventually, Penn State will wrap up its spring break trip later this week with a four-game series against Norfolk State. The two teams will play a single game on Friday, a doubleheader on Saturday, and the series finale on Sunday.