March 8, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Nittany Lions Close Out Spring Break Trip at UAB: Penn State baseball closes out its 2012 spring break trip with a three-game series with the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers this weekend. The Nittany Lions (2-9) will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak. Penn State has lost its last four games to Samford (2) and Mississippi State (2).
Media: The game can be followed in a number of ways. Live stats will be available via a Gametrakcer link on GoPSUSports.com. In addition, fans can follow @psubaseball on Twitter for up-to-the-mintue updates.
Most Recently: Penn State is coming off a tough two-game series with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, in which the Nittany Lions lost both games. Despite having a 6-3 lead heading into the seventh inning, Penn State baseball gave up four runs in the seventh and three runs in the eighth to lose by a score of 10-6. Sophomore Greg Welsh (Holland, Pa.) tossed a very solid game against a strong Mississippi State lineup. The lefty pitched a career-high 5.1 innings, giving up just two runs and four hits. He also fanned four batters. Freshmen JJ White and JC Coban each recorded their first RBI in the loss.
What's Next: Following the three-game set with UAB, Penn State will head to East Carolina next weekend for a three-game set with the Pirates. The Nittany Lions open the 2012 home season at Medlar Field on March 21 against Pittsburgh at 3:35. Big Ten play opens at home on March 23 against Indiana.
Scouting UAB: Alabama Birmingham comes into this weekend's contest with a 10-3 overall record and a 7-1 mark at home. The Blazers are hitting .251 as a team in 13 contests. Jeff Schalk leads the way for UAB, as he's tallied 14 hits on the year and carries a batting average of .318. The Blazers have just two homeruns on the year, coming from Michael Busby and Patrick Palmeiro, the son of former MLB standout Rafael Palmeiro. The Blazers are strong in pitching, as they carry a team ERA of 3.00. Ryan Nance, the Blazers' closer, has been stellar this season as he has four saves and 14 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched.