May 8, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State baseball (24-23, 10-8) heads to Maryland on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. matchup against the Terrapins. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. and all action can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 State College with Brian Tripp calling the action.
Penn State is coming off a solid weekend at Minnesota, taking two of three games from the Golden Gophers to land in a tie for third place in the Big Ten standings. On Friday, The Penn State seniors continue to rise to the occasion, as Joey DeBernardis (Lake Zurich, Ill.) hit a game-winning RBI double in the 10th inning to give Penn State a 4-3 victory over Minnesota. Penn State's bullpen was phenomenal in relief of sophomore Joe Kurrasch (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), who went seven strong innings while striking out six. The bullpen pitched three innings and allowed just one hit while giving up no earned runs.
On Saturday, Penn State clinched its fourth-straight Big Ten series on Saturday evening, defeating Minnesota by a score of 5-1 at Target Field. Junior Steven Hill (Colleyville, Texas) was dominant on the mound for the Nittany Lions. The junior picked up his fifth win, and his fourth win in his last five starts. Hill went 7.1 innings, striking out seven batters and allowing just seven hits. The one run he gave up was unearned. DeBernardis, senior Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.), junior Luis Montesinos (Miami, Fla.) and junior Elliot Searer (Lewistown, Pa.) each recorded two hits for the Nittany Lions in the victory. Searer's two hits were doubles.
Maryland comes into Wednesday's game with 30-22 overall record and a 9-18 mark in a very competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terrapins will send Sander Beck (5-2, 2.44) to the mound against Penn State senior Mike Franklin (Harleysville, Pa.). Maryland is hitting .266 as a team and have two hitters that sport a .300 batting average or better. Jordan Hagel is hitting .309 on the year with three homers and 20 RBI. Alfredo Rodriguez, who is hitting .301, leads the team with 33 runs driven in.
Penn State holds a 14-9 all-time record against Maryland and has won three of the last five matchups. Penn State won last year's contest by a score of 4-2 at Medlar Field. The Nittany Lions are a solid 5-3 in games played at Maryland.
Penn State returns to Happy Valley on May 11, 12 and 13 for the final home series of the year against Illinois. Nittany Lion baseball will be honoring a ticket exchange with Penn State softball as both teams are home that weekend. All ticket stubs bought at softball can be used for free entry at baseball and visa versa. PSU softball hosts OSU on Friday at 4 p.m. for a doubleheader while Penn State baseball hosts Illinois on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday softball is at 1 p.m. for Senior Day, while baseball continues its three-game series Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.). The ticket stubs can be used any day of either game. Penn State baseball's Senior Day will be on Sunday.
Follow Penn State baseball on Twitter: www.twitter.com/psubaseball.