May 12, 2014
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; May 12, 2014 - Penn State travels to Villanova for its final non-conference midweek matchup of the season on Tuesday. The Nittany Lions and Wildcats are scheduled to square off on the diamond at 3:45 p.m.
On Deck: The Blue and White return to Happy Valley to host Michigan State in the regular season finale for a three-game series. The opening game is scheduled for Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. with game two following on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The final game of the regular season against the Spartans is slated to begin on Saturday at noon with Senior Day festivities to follow.
Follow the Game Live: Tuesday's game will have a number of options in ways fans can follow the action. The game can be listened to live on State College ESPN 1450 or can be heard on GoPSUsports.com. Fans can also follow along with the live stats found on GoPSUsports.com, which allows users to get up to the minute stats and plays from the game.
All-Time Series vs. Villanova: Penn State holds a narrow edge over the Wildcats in the all-time series matchup, compiling a record of 31-29 against Villanova. Penn State's 7-4 win in Happy Valley last season ended a six-game losing skid to Villanova that lasted from 2003 through 2009. When playing at Villanova, the Blue and White is 8-6 all time.
Wildcats at a Glance: Villanova won two of its three games this weekend against Manhattan to win its first three-game series since the beginning of April. The Wildcats have struggled as of late, dropping seven of their last 10 contests. Villanova has a team batting average of .241 on the season and has averaged 4.6 runs per game in 2014. The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 5.11 on the season
VU at the Dish: The Wildcats have struggled at the plate as a team, hitting just .241 on the season. However, Villanova has three players with batting averages over .290 for the season, with Max Beermann leading the way with a mark of .319. The sophomore has 53 hits in 166 plate appearnaces in 2014. Villanova's leading run producer is Todd Czinege, who has driven in 34 runs on the season.
VU on the Mound: Villanova enters Tuesday's game with a team ERA of 5.11. The Wildcats best pitcher this season has been Matthew Meurer, who comes into this week with an ERA of 0.89. The senior has recorded 40.2 innings of work, all coming out of the bullpen. Meurer leads the team in saves with eight. Villanova's workhorse has been Josh Harris, who leads the team in innings pitched with 70 on the season.
Last Game vs. Villanova: The Nittany Lions and Wildcatss met at the end of the 2013 season for a midweek matchup at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Villanova jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. However, by the end of the fifth Penn State reeled the Wildcats back in and grabbed a 4-3 advantage. The Nittany Lions held on and went on to win by a final of 7-4. Tyler Kendall had a standout day at the plate in the victory, going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run scored to lead the Nittany Lions to the win.
Last Time Out: Penn State was swept by the No. 19/9 Indiana Hoosiers over the weekend. Penn State lost game one by a score of 10-0 and fell in game two by a final of 8-1. In the third and final contest, Indiana claimed another seven run win, closing out the series with 9-2 defeat of Penn State to record the sweep. The highlight of the series for the Blue and White was the play of J.J. White who went 6-for-11 at the plate for an average of .545.