April 28, 2016
| PENN STATE vs. MARYLAND | |
| Friday, Apr. 29 - 6:30 p.m. ET | |
| Saturday, Apr. 30 - 3:00 p.m. ET (DH) (1st game - BTN) | |
Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa.
| GAME DAY LINKS |
| Game 1: | Live Audio |
| Game 2: | Live Audio | BTN Plus |
| Game 3: | Live Audio |
| Baseball Blog | Baseball Videos |
| Follow Us: @PennStateBASE | Facebook | Instagram |
| Gameday Central |
| Game Notes: Penn State | Maryland |
| Statistics: Penn State | Maryland |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State and Maryland will meet on the baseball diamond for the first time as Big Ten members when they open a three-game series Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The series will continue with a doubleheader Saturday at 3 p.m., as Sunday's game has been moved up due to the threat of inclement weather.
Purchase Penn State baseball tickets by visiting GoPSUsports.com or calling the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park ticket office at 814-272-1711. For more information on Penn State baseball tickets please call 814-272-1711 or email Stephen Christ schrist@statecollegespikes.com.
PROMOTIONS/THEMES
Friday, April 29 -- 6:30 p.m.
Student Buffet Night
- For just $5, students can purchase a game ticket and access to an all-you-can-eat buffet in the picnic area in right field.
Military Appreciation Night
- An individual with a military ID can receive up to four free tickets with the option to purchase additional tickets at the group rate ($3).
- ROTC Choir will perform the National Anthem
- Nittany Lions will wear special camo-style jerseys
Remaining promotional items to be announced.
Essentials
Live Video: BTN2Go.com (Saturday, Game 1 only)
Live Audio: GoPSUsports.com
Live Stats: GoPSUsports.com
TV: BTN (Saturday, Game 1 only)
Radio: ESPN Radio 1450 AM (Brian Tripp/Ryan Stevens)
Series History: 14-10 (1919)
Last Meeting: L, 3-7 (5) at Maryland (5/9/12)
Streak: L1
Friday Probables
PSU LHP Taylor Lehman (1-7, 4.50 ERA)
RU RHP Mike Shawaryn (3-3, 3.60 ERA)
Saturday Probables
PSU RHP Sal Biasi (4-4. 4.05 ERA)
RU RHP Taylor Bloom (5-2, 2.10 ERA)
Sunday Probables
PSU RHP Justin Hagenman (6-1, 2.81 ERA)
RU RHP Brian Shaffer (4-3, 2.94 ERA)
Diamond Lions Improving
At 24-18, Penn State owns its best record through 42 games since 2011. Penn State's 24 wins are its most since winning 29 in 2012. Penn State was just 14-26 overall and 2-12 in Big Ten games with three conference series remaining last season. The Nittany Lions are 19-8 in their last 27 games.
First B1G Meeting
Penn State and Maryland will be meeting for just the 25th time. It will be the first Big Ten conference match-up. Maryland played its first Big Ten season last year but did not face Penn State.
B1G Stakes
Both Penn State and Maryland are looking to secure Big Ten tournament berths. The Nittany Lions enter the weekend with a 9-6 league mark to rank fifth with nine games remaining, while Maryland is 7-5 tied for sixth with 12 games remaining. The top eight in the 13-team league qualify for the tournament, which will be held May 25-29 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.
Home Sweet Home
Penn State is 13-4 in the friendly confines of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Lions have already matched their 2015 total for home wins and are on pace for their winningest season in their 10-year history at the ballpark. After a loss in the home opener, the Lions rewarded the home crowd with 10-straight victories for its longest streak ever in Medlar. With nine home games remaining on the schedule, the Lions need one more victory to secure their seventh winning season in the park's history.
Anderson Enters Week As ERA Leader
Jack Anderson lowered his earned run average to 0.65 in his last outing Sunday, moving into the lead nationally until he did not appear in Wednesday's game. As a reliever, Anderson will need to continue his heavy workload, as he must pitch at least one inning per team game played to maintain the ranking. Anderson presently has 41 1/3 innings pitched in 42 games. He also leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally with a career-high 10 saves. His next save will break the Penn State career record and tie the school's single-season record.
Sloniger Named B1G Baseball Freshman of the Week
Catcher Ryan Sloniger batted .500 for the week and belted his first home run as a Nittany Lion to earn the Big Ten Baseball Freshman of the Week award for the week of Apr. 18-24.
In three starts behind the dish, Sloniger went 5-for-10, getting hits in all three games he played, and tying for the team lead with five RBIs for the week.
Sloniger played major roles in Penn State's victories over Bucknell and Rutgers. Against Bucknell, he went 2-for-4 with a double and his third four-RBI game of the season. He then helped lead the Lions past Rutgers in the series finale Sunday, as he went 2-for-3 with his first home run and two runs scored in the 7-5 victory.
Collecting B1G Hardware
Nittany Lions have already collected six individual weekly honors from the Big Ten this season.
2016 PSU B1G Players of the Week
The six awards are the most Penn State has collected since 2007 (seven).
Penn State's six awards this season are one more than the previous four seasons combined.
A Penn State student-athlete has collected at least one Big Ten weekly award in each of the last three weeks, marking just the third time the Lions have assembled a three-week streak.
Three different Nittany Lions have been named Player of the Week (Willie Burger, Nick Riotto and Greg Guers) for the second time ever and the first since 2003 (Wes Reohr, Mike DeRenzo, Clint Eury).
Entering the season, Penn State had never had multiple winners of the rookie weekly honor, which was first introduced in 2011.
Prior to Burger and Sloniger, Jim Haley (2014) and Sal Biasi (2015) were the only previous Penn State freshman honorees.
Sloniger is the most recent awrd winner, becoming second Nittany Lion to be named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, joining Burger who has won the award twice, including last week.
Rewriting the Record Books
Every appearance by Jack Anderson from here on out will be a new Penn State career record, as his 86th career trip to the mound at Lafayette (4/6) set a new standard.
He currently has 91 career appearances.
With a career-high 10 saves this season, Jack Anderson now has 22 to tie the Penn State career record. He tied Drew O'Neil (2007-08), who posted a single-season record 11 in back-to-back seasons.
Anderson needs one more saves to equal the single-season record.
See Records Watch, Page 24
One-Run Improvement
Penn State is 6-3 in one run games after going just 1-7 in such games last year.
Improving on the Mound
Much of Penn State's improved success this season can be credited to its pitching staff, which has improved in every major statistical category.
Penn State enters the weekend with a 3.44 team ERA, which ranks 38th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten.
Jack Anderson led the Big Ten and NCAA with a 0.65 ERA entering the week.
Freshman Justin Hagenman (2.81) leads the rotation and ranks 12th in the Big Ten in ERA.
Hagenman is the first Penn State pitcher to reach six wins since 2011.
Do you know Jack?
Jack Anderson is a unique pitcher as he uses "submarine" style delivery.
The throwing motion allows the reliever to pitch multiple innings on consecutive days as well as warm-up quickly in the bullpen to enter the game on a moment's notice.
Of his 22 appearances this season, only five have been for an inning or less. He is averaging just under two innings per outing with a season high of 4 2/3 against Purdue (4/2, G2).
Anderson relies on deception and ball movement to keep hitters off balance and typically induces ground outs.
The style also minimizes extra base hits. Of the 146 hits Anderson has allowed in 152 1/3 innings pitched for his career. Just 22 have gone for extra bases: 20 doubles, triples and no home runs.
Tough to Earn
Jack Anderson's miniscule ERA is the product of allowing just three earned runs all season.
The only teams to earn a run off of Anderson this season are UNCW (3/5), Princeton (3/12) and Michigan State (4/10).
The earned run allowed against Michigan State is the only run he has allowed in his last 15 appearances.
Over his last 15 appearances, Anderson has thrown 29.0 innings for seven saves, a 4-1 record, 0.31 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
The highest Anderson's ERA has risen all year was 1.46 after allowing his second earned run of the year vs. Princeton in his seventh appearance of the season.
Crucial Innings
15 of Jack Anderson's 22 appearances have resulted in him factoring in the decision, as he has tallied a career-high 10 saves, matched his career high of four wins, and suffered one defeat.
His lone loss came at Richmond (3/13) and was due to an unearned run.
Anderson picked up his fourth win of the season by pitching the final three innings against Northwestern (4/15).
He pitched a season-high 4 2/3 innings to earn the win in extra innings against Purdue (4/2, G2).
Anderson in the Rankings
Jack Anderson entered the week leading the NCAA and Big Ten with a 0.65 ERA.
He also leads the Big Ten in saves with 10. The total ranks eighth nationally.
His 22 appearances rank third in the league and 43rd in the country.
Keep Watching
Senior relief pitcher Jack Anderson has been named to three prestigious watch lists this season
Anderson was one of 40 student-athletes named to the Midseason Watch List for the 12th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award.
The award will be given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.
Anderson is the Big Ten's lone representative on the list.
The NCBWA will announce five finalists for the 2016 Stopper of the Year -- the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts -- on Wednesday, June 8, prior to the start of NCAA Super Regional competition. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced during the 2016 College World Series.
Anderson was one of 70 pitchers named to the initial watch list for the award in the preseason.
Anderson was one of 72 pitchers named to the watch list for the National Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. The award, sponsored by Diamond, will be presented on July 2 in Lubbock, Texas, as part of the annual Night of Champions event. Anderson is one of six pitchers from the Big Ten on the list.
Anderson posted a team-best 2.98 ERA in 2015 to rank ninth amongst all pitchers in the Big Ten. He also led the Nittany Lions with 29 appearances, tallying four wins and five saves, and he finished a third of the Lions' games. His most impressive stretch in 2015 came late in the season against Pitt, Rutgers and Michigan State when he made appearances in six consecutive games, throwing 14 innings with a 1.93 ERA, 1-1 record and three saves.
Dramatic Finishes
Jack Anderson has worked out of some tough spots this season, often entering before the ninth inning.
Perhaps his most thrilling outing of the season, Anderson set season highs for walks and strikeouts in a 2 1/3 inning save at Rutgers (4/24).
Anderson walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out, but ultimately struck out the side, getting the final out on the second pay-off pitch in a full count.
Making his collegiate debut in his home town of Evanston, Illinois, Anderson earned a three-inning win after taking the mound with an unearned runner on base. The run scored but Anderson kept Northwestern (4/15) scoreless and allowed Penn State to score late and win.
Anderson was called upon with a one-run lead against Michigan State (4/12, G2) in the seventh inning. He allowed two runs (one unearned) but earned the win.
Anderson entered in tie games against Purdue (4/1-2, G2) earning the win in both.
He pitched two full innings against Niagara (3/19, G1) for his fourth save of the season.
At Duke, Anderson entered with a runner on second base with two outs in the eighth inning. Anderson hit and walked a batter to load the bases before getting the inning-ending out without allowing a run.
For his second save opportunity, Anderson worked the final 2 1/3 innings with just a one-run cushion. He entered the game with two outs in the seventh and a runner on first who moved into scoring position on a passed ball.
He earned his first save of the season in dramatic fashion against Army for Penn State's first victory of the year. Nursing a one-run lead, Anderson entered in the eighth inning with runners on the corners and no outs, and did not allow a run over the final two innings.
Youthful Lineup
Penn State is not afraid to rely on its freshmen.
Penn State has used starting lineups featuring at least three freshmen in all but six games and has had no less than two freshmen starting each game.
The Lions have had five start on 11 occasions with a season-high of six on three occasions.
Freshman RHP Justin Hagenman leads the team with a 6-1 record and has a rotation-leading 2.81 ERA.
Freshman middle infielder Conlin Hughes has started and played in all but one game.
Corner infielder Willie Burger leads the team with 30 RBIs despite playing in just 27 of 42 games.
Penn State's three-man weekend rotation has consisted entirely of underclassmen. See Freshmen in the Lineup, Page 7
Getting Offensive
Since getting one hit in the second game of its series at Illinois, Penn State is batting .297 as a team over the last 21 games to raise its season average to .267 and post a 15-6 record.
The Nittany Lions batted just .235 in the first 21 games of the season, going 9-12.
Haley's Comets
Jim Haley picked up where he left off to start the 2016 season.
After batting .436 with seven doubles and a triple over final nine games of the 2015 season, Haley opened the 2016 campaign with a 10-game hitting streak.
Haley had an 11-game hitting streak halted in the final game of the Purdue series (4/2).
Haley owns the longest reached base streak on the team at 18 games, and is currently on a 12-game reached base streak.
Haley leads the team entering the weekend with a .355 batting average, 11 doubles, three triples, 16 extra base hits and 18 multi-hit games. He ranks third on the squad with 26 RBIs and two home runs.
At Northwestern (4/17), Haley matched his career high of four hits, going 4-for-6 with two doubles and three runs. The game followed his first games of back-to-back no hits.
For the first time in his career, he has drawn starts at third base this season.
Haley hit his first career home run during the South Carolina series.
More Than Batting Average
The Lions rank fourth in the Big Ten and 65th in the country with 176 walks.
At first glance it might be surprising that James Coates, is drawing regular starts with a .167 batting average, but the senior's patience at the plate has resulted in a team-best 31 walks as well as a .376 on-base percentage, which ranks third on the team.
The 31 walks rank fifth in the conference and 56th in the country.
Coates entered the season with just one career home run, but is tied for the team lead with three this season.
He ranks fifth all-time at Penn State with 97 career walks, 31 shy of the record.
See Records Watch, Page 24
Sacrifice Flies
With 26 sacrifice flies, Penn State leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth in the country.
Tyler Kendall ranks second in the Big Ten and seventh in the country with six.
Kendall needs two more sac flies to tie the PSU single-season record, and with 10 for his career, needs three more to tie the career record.
Greg Guers has 11 sacrifice flies at Penn State to rank two shy of the record.
See Records Watch, Page 24
Guers Heats Up
Greg Guers was batting just .189 through his first 24 games dating to the April 1 game against Purdue, but hit at a .510 clip over the next 12 to raise his season average 131 points to a season-high .320
He has posted hits in 13 of the last 17 games, including nine multi-hit games.
Guers posted a season-high seven-game hitting streak (4/2-4/20), of which the first six games were all multi-hit games.