Sept. 10, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State baseball program will have split loyalties for the New York-Penn League Championship. The Nittany Lions share Medlar Field at Lubrano Park with the State College Spikes, but recent Penn State alum Jim Haley will be playing for the visiting Hudson Valley Renegades.
The best-of-three series will begin Sunday at 4 p.m. at Hudson Valley, and then return to Medlar Monday at 7:05 p.m. If necessary, a deciding third game will be played Tuesday at 7:05 at Medlar. Visit StateCollegeSpikes.com for ticket information.
It will be Haley's second return to his old college stomping grounds. He played just his second, third and fourth pro games in June at Medlar, just over two weeks after being drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 19th round. He became the fifth Nittany Lion to play in the park as a pro and the fourth to play in it as both a Nittany Lion and as a pro.
Haley started all three contests of the Renegades' series in June with the Spikes at third base and went 6-for-13 with two extra base hits, two runs, an RBI, stolen base and a walk. He hit an RBI-triple for his first professional hit Sunday, and then went 3-for-5 with a double Monday. He capped the series by going 2-for-3 with a walk, as Hudson Valley won two of three games.
Haley started at third base in the New York-Penn League All-Star game and finished the regular season with a .285 batting average, a home run and 19 RBIs.
A three-year starter with 143 starts in 146 appearances, Haley compiled a .297 career average at Penn State with 28 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 64 RBIs, 97 runs and 25 stolen bases. His final season was his best, setting career highs with a .315 batting average, 45 runs, 69 hits, 12 doubles, 27 RBIs and 18 walks. Haley started and played in all 55 games, drawing the majority of his starts at third base after transitioning from shortstop. As a sophomore in 2015, Haley led Penn State in Big Ten games in batting (.333), on-base percentage (.396), runs (15), triples (3), doubles (9). He started 42 of 44 games as a freshman, batting .265.
Penn State and the State College Spikes have shared Medlar Field at Lubrano Park since its construction, with the Spikes' opening the facility in 2006 and the Lions playing their first season in 2007.
Haley is not the only Penn State alum enjoying playoff success. RHP Jack Anderson, also a 2016 draft pick, claimed an Arizona League Championship with the AZL Mariners, and is now vying for his second championship, after being called up to the Everett Aquasox in the Northwest League. The Aquasox also advanced to their league championship series Friday night.
Additionally, Johnny Walter is pitching for the Springfield Cardinals in the Double-A Texas League semifinals. The Cardinals are down 2-1 in a best-of-five series.