March 26, 2015
| PENN STATE vs. CCSU | |
| Friday, Mar. 27 - 5:30 p.m. ET | |
| Saturday, Mar. 28 - 1 p.m. ET | |
| Sunday, Mar. 29 - 12 p.m. ET | |
| Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa. | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: ESPN2 -->Game 1: | Live AudioGame 2: | Live AudioGame 3: | Live AudioBaseball Blog | Baseball VideosFollow Us: @PennStateBASE | Facebook | InstagramGameday Central
Game Notes: Penn State | CCSUStatistics: Penn State | CCSU
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (5-14, 1-1 B1G)
vs. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT BLUE DEVILS (6-7, 0-0 NEC)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -Winners of four of their last five games, Penn State hosts Central Connecticut in a three-game non-conference baseball series with games Friday at 5:30, Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. It will be the final non-conference weekend series of the season, as the Lions will return to Big Ten play next weekend at Ohio State.
COVERAGE
TV
None
Radio
WQWK-AM/ESPN Radio 1450
Location: State College, Pa.
Dates: All
Talent: Brian Tripp, Mike Esse
Internet
Video: N/A
Audio: GoPSUsports.com
Twitter: @PennStateBASE
Facebook: PennState Baseball
Instagram: @PennStateBASE
On the Mound:
FRI., March 27 - 5:30 p.m.
(CCSU) RHP Matt Blandino (1-1, 2.05) vs. (PSU) LHP Nick Hedge (0-3, 5.88)
SAT., March 28 - 1:00 p.m.
(CCSU) RHP Dom Severino (0-1, 3.77) vs. (PSU) LHP Taylor Lehman (0-2, 10.38)
SUN., March 29 - 12:00 p.m.
(CCSU) LHP Casey Brown (0-2, 7.20) vs. (PSU) RHP Nick Distasio (0-3, 3.71)
Promotions: Friday - Blue Collar Baseball mouse pad giveaway; Saturday - Promotions Closet Spring Cleaning (fans can pick up unique Penn State promotions items); Sunday - Blue Collar Baseball Rally Towel giveaway. All promotions are while supplies last!
All-Time Series vs. CCSU: This is just the second series between the two teams. The lone meeting was also during the last week of March during Medlar Field's inaugural season in 2007. Penn State claimed the first two games by large margins before CCSU earned a 2-0 win in the finale to avoid the sweep.
CCSU at a Glance: Central Connecticut is 6-7 so far this season and has won five of its last eight games, but most recently fell at home to UConn 17-2. The Blue Devils do not share any common opponenets with Penn State this season. Dean Lockery leads the team with a .391 batting average, while Matt Blandino owns a team-best 2.05 ERA in 22 innings pitched.
Last Time Out: Greg Guers doubled to center in a 1-2 count with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in the go-ahead runs for Penn State in a 5-2 victory over Villanova. The game had been tied at 2-2 since the fifth inning, but Guers' drive to center brought in three runs. RHP Jack Anderson (2-2) earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, yielding a hit and three walks with two strikeouts. He walked the first batter in the ninth before giving way to rookie RHP Sal Biasi, who earned his first collegiate save, despite getting into a bases-loaded jam. LHP Geoff Boylston went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Dominate the State: Penn State is 2-0 against in-state foes this season, as Greg Guers has been the hero in both. Guers drove in the go-ahead runs in the eighth against Villanova, and the deciding runs at Pitt, tying it in the third with an RBI-double, and then singling with runners on the corners in the 12th.
On Deck: Penn State will have just two games remaining in its first homestand of the season, as it will host Binghamton and Kent State Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games will be at 6:30 p.m.
Home Sweet Home: After starting the season 1-10, the Nittany Lions have now won four out of their last five games, including a two-game split with No. 21 Indiana Sunday. They are 3-1 at Medlar.
Blue and White Submarine: RHP Jack Anderson has settled in as one of the top pitchers on the Lions' staff. He's second on the team with 19.1 innings pitched and has a team-best 2.33 ERA for the season. Throwing with a true "submarine" throwing motion, Anderson allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks in his first four outings, totaling just 5.0 innings pitched. In his last seven appearances however, Anderson is boasting a 0.63 ERA, yielding just two runs (one earned) on eight hits and eight walks in 14 1/3 innings of work.
Call the `pen: Eight different relievers have combined to pitch 28 2/3 innings over the last five games, posting an ERA of 1.26 with 27 strikeouts to 16 hits and 15 walks over the stretch.
Nine up, Nine Down: Penn State rookie RHP Sal Biasi struck out nine consecutive batters over two appearances last week to earn Big Ten Baseball Co-Freshman of the Week honors. Biasi made his first appearance of the week in the Nittany Lions' home opener Wednesday against Canisius, striking out the side in one inning of work. He then entered the first game against No. 21 Indiana Sunday in the eighth inning with a runner on third base, two outs and a tie score. He struck out that batter and the next five he faced, ultimately pitching through the 11th inning and not yielding a run. For the week he posted a line of 4 1/3 innings pitched, one hit, no runs allowed, three walks and nine strikeouts.
Reliable Rookie: Biasi is off to a strong start in his young career, posting the second-best ERA on the team so far amongst relievers with at least 10 innings pitched at 2.35 in 15 1/3 innings. He also has 16 strikeouts, good for a tie for second on the team with starter RHP Nick Hedge, who has 16 strikeouts.
Rookies on the Mound: Penn State has used nine first-year pitchers so far this season, and they have combined to account for 44.9 percent of innings pitched (74 1/3 IP). The Lion rotation includes two true freshmen: LHP Taylor Lehman and RHP Nick Distasio. Both are from head coach Rob Cooper's first recruiting class. Lehman was drafted in the 34th round of the MLB draft in June by the Florida Marlins, but did not sign. He stands at a towering 6-8. Distasio and Lehman are both Pennsylvania natives. Freshmen Sal Biasi and Marko Boricich are two of Cooper's most reliable arms in the bullpen.
Super Novak: Aaron Novak has been Penn State's hottest hitter, ranking ninth in the conference in batting (.359) and seventh in home runs (3). At Charleston Southern (3/8), Novak became the fourth Nittany Lion to tally eight RBIs in a game (first since 1984), as he tallied two home runs and doubled as part of a 4-for-5 day at the plate. The totals were career highs, and his eight RBIs matched a team record. It was also his first game of the season in the cleanup role.
Turn It!: Led by the stellar middle infield duo of SS Jim Haley and 2B Taylor Skerpon, the Nittany Lions rank third in the nation and tops in the Big Ten with 1.26 double plays per game, turning a total of 24. They turned four in a 12-inning win at Pittsburgh (3/17).