April 25, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Not willing to rest on its laurels following a crucial series victory against Ohio State over the weekend, the Penn State baseball team will host a pair of midweek contests beginning with a battle against La Salle on Tuesday evening at 6:05 p.m. at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Over the weekend, the Nittany Lions (24-13, 7-5 Big Ten) took a pair of contests against the rival Buckeyes to move into a tie for first place in the Big Ten standings. Refusing to let up after that performance, Penn State looks to wrap up its 11-game homestand with two more strong efforts against a pair of intrastate rivals.
The Explorers (23-15) will serve as a tough test for the Lions as the squad enters Tuesday's action with some nice momentum of its own. Over the weekend, La Salle swept an Atlantic 10 series from George Washington and has now won eight of its last 10 contests.
Recently, Penn State and La Salle have built a bit of a rivalry. The two squads have battled in a non-conference showdown during each of the previous three seasons. Last year, the Explorers snapped a three-game skid against the Lions with a 3-2 victory in Happy Valley on April 27.
Overall, Penn State holds an 8-3 advantage in the all-time series, which only dates back to 1990. During games played at PSU, the Lions hold a 4-1 edge.
Building upon its reputation as one of the preeminent programs in the Keystone State, Penn State looks to continue its success against intrastate rivals. During the squad's last 20 games at home against Pennsylvania brethren, the Lions hold an outstanding 17-3 record. La Salle will be the second such team to make the trip this year after Pittsburgh fell to Penn State, 5-4, on April 13.
Everyone can follow along with the action from the comfort of their home if they are unable to venture out to the ballpark. GameTracker will be available following the first pitch, while a live radio broadcast can be heard on PSU All-Access as well as on ESPN Radio 1450.
Really adept at defending its home turf, Penn State enters the midweek action with a 10-6 record at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Since moving into their new cozy confines in 2007, the Nittany Lions have now won at least 10 home games every season. The squad stands 24 games over .500 with a 65-41 record at the stadium.
Though Penn State has been a dominant force at home, La Salle serves as a unique test after piecing together a decent road record. In 2011, the Explorers are 11-9 during their travels despite playing in hostile environments at Duke and UC Santa Barbara early in the year.
Despite its opponent's pedigree, Penn State will look to continue its recent roll by counting on its exceptionally well-balanced roster. After the weekend, the Lion pitching staff leads the Big Ten with a 3.52 ERA and a .251 opponent batting average. Not to be overlooked, the defense leads the conference with 47 double plays, while the offense sits second overall with 19 home runs.
Even though Steven Hill and John Walter have received most of the recognition as the aces at the front of the rotation, Penn State's midweek pitchers have also been outstanding this year. During their four weekday games so far this season, the Lions have posted a 2.61 ERA. Before being promoted to the weekend rotation, Mike Franklin won each of his two midweek starts, while Greg Welsh also looked strong in a pair of appearances in that role.
Leading the Lions on the offensive end, junior standouts Joey DeBernardis, Sean Deegan, and Jordan Steranka have solidified the top of the batting order while striking fear in the opposition. Steranka has been especially dangerous, standing atop the conference with six home runs and 46 RBI while leading Penn State with a .342 average.
Also at the top of the Big Ten leader board, DeBernardis has roped 20 doubles this season, which is six more than anyone else in the conference. Fittingly, Deegan is tied for second in that category while also ranking second with a .581 slugging percentage and five triples.
Slugger Mario Eramo also stands third in the Big Ten with five home runs, while Blake Lynd leads the squad with 10 stolen bases. That total ranks 11th in the conference but second among speedsters with a 100 percent success rate.
Armed with a deep pitching staff, La Salle will look to quiet the Penn State attack. Through 38 games, the Explorers have posted a 4.27 ERA while holding opponents to a .273 batting average. Loaded with strike throwers, the squad has allowed an average of 2.48 walks-per-game, which is the 11th lowest rate in the nation.
La Salle also boasts a strong offensive attack as the team enters the game with a .284 batting average. Marc Schoch has been at the forefront of that effort, posting a .331 average with two home runs and 25 RBI. Meanwhile, Jeff Flax is hitting .314 with a team-high 26 RBI while serving as a mainstay in the lineup.
Leading the squad in home runs, Jon Gyles has clubbed three long balls while knocking in 24 runs. Dan Klem has been the Explorers' biggest threat on the base paths, posting 10 steals in just 13 attempts. Brendan Norton has also swiped eight bases while collecting a team-high five triples.
Eventually, Penn State will hit the road for the first time in nearly three weeks when the squad kicks off a crucial three-game series against Michigan State this weekend. Prior to that, the Lions will wrap up their homestand on Wednesday when the squad hosts Bucknell at 6:05 p.m.
--PSU--