Feb. 18, 2016
CARY, N.C. -- The Penn State baseball team will open the 2016 season by hosting the Penn State Tournament at the USA Baseball National Training Center Friday-Sunday, taking on Monmouth, Army West Point and Monmouth.
Penn State will open the tournament Friday against Monmouth at 2 p.m. and then play a doubleheader against Army Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. The Nittany Lions will conclude the tournament Saturday against Bryant with first pitch at 10 a.m.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, February 19
2 p.m. - Game 1 - Field 3
Monmouth vs. Penn State
Frank Trimarco vs. LHP Taylor Lehman
3 p.m. - Game 2 - Field 2
Bryant vs. Army West Point
James Karinchak vs. LHP Jeremy Mortensen
Saturday, February 20
1:30 p.m. - Game 3 - Field 4
Monmouth vs. Bryant
LHP Anthony Ciavarella vs. RHP Jimmy Davitt
Bryant vs. Monmouth
LHP Steve Theetge vs. RHP Ricky Dennis
1:30 p.m. - Game 4 - Field 2
Army West Point vs. Penn State
RHP Matt Ball vs. RHP Sal Biasi
Penn State vs. Army West Point
RHP Justin Hagenman vs. TBA
Sunday, February 21
10 a.m. - Game 7 - Field 3
Bryant vs. Penn State
RHP Brandon Bingel vs. LHP Nick Hedge
11 a.m. - Game 8 - Field 2
Monmouth vs. Army West Point
LHP Mike Brambilla vs. RHP Garrison Franklin
USA Baseball National Training Center
The USA Baseball National Training Complex is located within the 221 acre Thomas Brooks Park and includes four baseball fields -- a stadium field and three training fields -- all with dimensions of 330 feet down the lines and 400 feet in centerfield. All fields are maintained at Major League Baseball (MLB) standards. The Stadium field has a press box that includes two suites, an official scorer's room, a sound room and a press row. Spectator seating is for 1,754 people, including handicapped accessible seating, and additional grass seating for approximately 250 people. All fields have access to restroom facilities and a concession building.
Cary Magic?
The Diamond Lions will be looking to continue Penn State's winning ways in Cary, North Carolina. The city hosted the women's soccer College Cup in the fall, which Penn State claimed for its first national championship in the sport.
Homecoming
Penn State has two student-athletes from the Raleigh-Durham area: junior catcher Alex Malinsky (Apex, N.C./Panther Creek) and freshman infielder Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs).
All-Time Series vs. Monmouth
This will be the third meeting between Penn State and Monmouth. The previous two were both neutral site meetings as well: a win in 2005 and a loss in 2008.
Monmouth at a Glance
Monmouth, a member of the MAAC, has been selected to finish fourth by the league's coaches. MU won 22 games a season ago including 14 in conference and 11 at home, earning the fifth seed in the MAAC tournament after going 22-22 in the regular season and 14-10 in the league. The Blue and White were led by redshirt freshman Shaine Hughes, who hit .289 with 12 doubles and 34 RBI's. Chris Gaetano and Dan Shea tied for a team-high with three home runs, while Gaetano hit .286, second on the club.
All-Time Series vs. Army
Penn State is 17-8 all-time against Army in a series that dates back to 1904. The teams met for the first time since 1966 in 2000, a 3-1 win for the Nittany Lions. The 1966 meeting was a historic one as it involved the most runs scored in a Penn State game, as Army earned a 36-33 victory.
Army at a Glance
A member of the Patriot League, Army went 21-26 overall with a 6-14 league record in 2015. The Black Knights have been a strong program historically though with seven Patriot League tournament titles and six NCAA Regional Appearances, with their most recent coming in 2013.
All-Time Series vs. Bryant
This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
Bryant at a Glance
Bryant has been named the Northeast Conference favorite according to a vote of the league's coaches. The Bulldogs take the top spot in the preseason poll for the fourth-straight season, receiving four first-place votes to out-distance Sacred Heart. The Pioneers, the 2015 NEC Tournament champions received the final three first-place votes. Wagner and Central Connecticut are slated 3-4, while LIU Brooklyn, Fairleigh Dickinson and Mount St. Mary's round out the poll. Bryant has won an unprecedented four-straight NEC Regular-Season titles and five of the last six since joining the league in 2010. The Black and Gold have also appeared in the NEC Championship round in each of the last three seasons, claiming back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
Backend of the Bullpen
Penn State senior right-handed pitcher Jack Anderson (Evanston, Ill.) was one of 70 relievers named to the initial watch list for the 12th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Anderson, an Academic All-Big Ten selection the past two seasons, posted a team-best 2.98 ERA in 2015 to rank ninth amongst all pitchers in the conference. He also led the Nittany Lions with 29 appearances, tallying four wins and five saves, and he finished a third of the Lions' games. Anderson has 12 career saves to rank third all-time at Penn State and 69 appearances to rank fourth, 14 shy of the program record.
Young Rotation
Penn State's inaugural starting rotation features three underclassmen. Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) is a sophomore starting for a second consecutive year. RHP Sal Biasi (Hazleton Township, Pa.) is also a sophomore but will be making his first career collegiate start after serving in a relief roll last season. Freshman Justin Hagenman (Voorhees, N.J.) is slated to make his debut Saturday. The young trio also started in order during Penn State's trip to Cuba.
New Look Lineup
Penn State will need to replace four starters this season, but returns leading hitters Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.) and Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) Haley Led Penn State in Big Ten games in batting (.333), on-base percentage (.396), runs (15), triples (3), doubles (9). Guers enjoyed a career season with eight home runs (7th in Big Ten), 38 RBIs, 13 doubles, 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts, 101 total bases and a .495 slugging percentage to lead team in all categories
Up Next
Penn State will return to the Carolinas for a three-game series at South Carolina