| PENN STATE vs. KENT STATE | |
| Wednesday, Apr. 1 - 6:30 p.m. ET | |
| Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa. | |
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Game Notes: Penn State | BU | KSUStatistics: Penn State | BU | KSU
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (8-14, 1-1 B1G)
vs. KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (12-11, 3-3 MAC)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Winners of seven of their last eight games and the last five straight, Penn State concludes an eight-game homestand with a midweek contest against Kent State starting at 6:30 p.m. in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
COVERAGE
TV
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Radio
WQWK-AM/ESPN Radio 1450
Location: State College, Pa.
Dates: All
Talent: Brian Tripp, Tyler Feldman
Internet
Video: N/A
Audio: GoPSUsports.com
Twitter: @PennStateBASE
Facebook: PennState Baseball
Instagram: @PennStateBASE
On the Mound:
Wed., April 1 - 6:30 p.m.
(BU) LHP Jared Skolnicki (2-2, 2.89) vs.(PSU) TBA
Promotions: Katy Perry and Drake are scheduled to appear at Medlar Field Wednesday. Adele was also scheduled, but canceled. Click here for more information.
All-Time Series vs. Kent State: Since first meeting in 2009, the Nittany Lions and Golden Flashes have met annually since 2009. It has been a closely contested series, as neither team has won more than two straight. Kent State won the lone meeting last season in Ohio, 4-1, by holding the Lions to just four hits. The home teams have held the advantage in the series though, with PSU winning its last three in Medlar.
Kent State at a Glance: The Golden Flashes will host Youngstown State Tuesday before visiting Medlar. Signature wins include No. 21 Baylor and No. 25 Illinois. Kent State and PSU share a common opponent in Liberty, which won two out of three games against KSU and swept PSU in a two-game series. Luke Birch leads the team batting .398, while Zarley Zalewski is batting .376 with 15 RBIs. Sawyer Polen is batting .355 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.
Last Time Out: PSU earned its first three-game series sweep since May 2012 against Illinois after taking three from Central Connecticut. The opener played out very similar to the Lion's midweek win over Villanova, as for the second consecutive game, a bases-clearing double in the eighth was the difference in a 5-2 victory. Ryky Smith was the hero for the Nittany Lions in the eighth, while Aaron Novak was also a catalyst, going 4-for-4 at the plate. In eighth with the bases loaded and two outs, Smith fell behind 0-2 in the count, but was able to drill a double to right center to drive in three runs. Winter weather Saturday forced a Sunday doubeheader. Behind strong starts on the mound from freshmen Taylor Lehman and Nick Distasio (Oley, Pa.), Penn State swept both ends by scores of 4-1 and 13-3, respectively. Offensively for Penn State (8-14), third baseman Ryky Smith (York, Pa.) continued to be hot at the plate, going 5-for-9 with a double and two RBIs for the day, while left fielder Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) doubled and tripled with four RBIs as part of a three-hit day. Additionally, third baseman Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.) and right fielder Aaron Novak (Ambler, Pa.) had three hits and two RBIs each. In game one, Lehman (1-2) turned in the finest performance of his young career, carrying a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings and striking out a collegiate-best eight in a collegiate-high seven innings pitched, allowing just one hit. In the second game, Distasio threw a collegiate-best six shutout innings, yielding just four hits and a walk with five strikeouts, while the Nittany Lions built a 9-0 lead.
On Deck: Penn State will return to Big Ten action with a weekend series at Ohio State.
Home Sweet Home: After starting the season 2-13 on the road, the Nittany Lions are 6-1 at Medlar, and 7-1 in Pennsylvania. The pitching staff is boasting a 1.85 ERA over the lsat eight games, while the team is batting .286.
Late Inning Heroics: 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 (3/25). Ryky Smith then doubled in an 0-2 count with two outs in the eighth inning of the very next game against CCSU (3/27) to break another 2-2 game open with three RBIs. RHP Jack Anderson earned the win in both, while RHP Sal Biasi earned the save in both. PSU has scored 28 runs in the eighth inning this season and just 32 in the first four innings combined.
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.
Blue and White Submarine: RHP Jack Anderson has settled in as one of the top pitchers on the Lions' staff. He's fourth on the team and tops amongst relievers with 20.1 innings pitched and has a solid 2.21 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 eight appearances however, Anderson is boasting a 0.59 ERA, yielding just two runs (one earned) on nine hits and eight walks while striking out 11 in 15 1/3 innings of work. He earned wins in each of his last two outings
Consistency is Key: The starters and bullpen have been producting very similar results over the last eight games. In 34 innings pitched, the relievers are boasting an ERA of 1.853, while in 44 innings, the starters have an ERA of 1.841.
Reliable Rookie: Biasi is off to a strong start in his young career, and earned the save in three consecutive games last week. He has the top ERA on the team so far amongst relievers with at least 10 innings pitched at 1.96 in 18 1/3 innings. He also has 20 strikeouts, good for a tie for second on the team with starter LHP Taylor Lehman.
Nine up, Nine Down: Biasi struck out nine consecutive batters over two appearances to earn Big Ten Baseball Co-Freshman of the Week honors (3/16-23). 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.
Rookies on the Mound: Penn State has used nine first-year pitchers so far this season, and they have combined to account for 49.6 percent of innings pitched (95 2/3 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.