| PENN STATE vs. CORNELL | |
| Wednesday, Mar. 29 - 6:30 p.m. | |
Medlar Field at Lubrano Park | University Park, Pa.
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| Game Notes: Penn State | Cornell |
| Statistics: Penn State | Cornell |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.. - Penn State baseball's non-conference baseball contest against Binghamton, originally scheduled for Tuesday evening, has been postponed due to forecasted inclement weather, head coach Rob Cooper announced.The teams will look to reschedule the game for a later date. Penn State is still scheduled to host Cornell Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
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
Wednesday- Cornell
Wing Wednesday! Fans can enjoy wings at the ball park at the following great prices:
- 3 wings for $3
- 6 wings for $5.50
- 12 wings for $10
Essentials
Live Video: N/A
Live Audio: GoPSUSports.com
Live Stats: GoPSUsports.com
TV: N/A
Radio: State College's ESPN 1450 AM
Cornell Series History: 36-22
Last Game: 2008, Neutral, Cornell 4-1
Streak: L1
Wednesday Probables
PSU RHP Cole Bartels (0-1, 6.46 ERA)
COR RHP Colby Wyatt (0-0, 40.50 ERA)
Midweek Mania
The Nittany Lions are 1-1 in midweek games this season, evening their record with a win over Bucknell last Tuesday. The Lions went 10-2 in midweek games last season, only dropping both games of a home-and-home series with Kent State.
Home Sweet Home
The Nittany Lions are in their 11th season in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, where they hold a 135-87 all-time record after opening the 2017 home slate with a win over Bucknell and a four-game split against Columbia. Penn State won a facility record 10 consecutive games last season en route to totaling 15 wins, its most since 2008. The Lions enjoyed their seventh winning mark in the park and hosted two of the 11 largest crowds in program history. Penn State is in the midst of its longest homestand of the season.
Dense Schedule
Penn State is in the midst of a stretch of eight games in nine days by virtue of its doubleheader at Delaware Saturday and another doubleheader scheduled this past Saturday against Columbia.
Youth Movement
The average Nittany Lion starter this season is a sophomore, as the average class year (Freshman = 1 ... Senior = 4) across all 10 positions through 22 games is 2.03. On the mound the Lions are averaging 2.09 years of experience as compared to 2.03 at the plate. For the 2016 season, the Lions averaged 2.25 years in the starting lineup with a youthful 1.96 on the mound and a deceptive 2.49 at the dish as the Lions started two to five freshmen per game.
The Nittany Lions have used underclassmen exclusively up the middle this season. Sophomores Ryan Sloniger and Willie Burger have platooned at catcher, with freshman Brett Davis also drawing two starts. Sophomore Conlin Hughes has started every game at second base, and freshmen Joe Weisenseel and Mason Nadeau have started the vast majority of games at shortstop and centerfield, respectively. With Nadeau out with an injury sophomore Jordan Bowersox has been drawing starts in center. Outfielder Braxton Giavedoni has appeared in all but the season opener and has 18 starts.
Penn State only has three upperclassman position players on the roster, and senior Alex Malinsky has only played in two games after missing much of the early part of the season due to injury.
All-Time vs. Cornell
Penn State and Cornell met for the first time over 100 years ago, in 1907, with the Nittany Lions prevailing 3-1 in the 17th inning. Penn State holds the all time series lead 36-22, stretching the margin with a 12-game winning streak in annual meetings from 1996 to 2002. The teams met annually from 1994-2004, but only last met at a neutral site in 2008. Penn State holds a 22-1 advantage in Happy Valley.
Scouting Cornell
The Big Red are 9-4, including a win over Big Ten foe Michigan State and three wins in four games against Bucknell this past weekend. Tommy Wagner leads the team in batting with a .341 average, while Cole Rutherford has a team-best six home runs and 26 RBIs. Dale Wickham leads the nation with 0.69 doubles per game and ranks ninth in the nation with 1.77 hits per game.
Striking Out the Opposition
Penn State pitchers have struck out 85 batters over the last eight games for an average of 10.625 per game. That rate has only increased over the last five games, as the Lions have struck out 57 for an average of 11.4 per game.
Sal Biasi and Justin Hagenman have sent the most batters walking back to the dugout, with both striking out 19 over their last two starts.
Other pitchers to strikeout double-digit batters over the last eight include Eric Mock (12, 8.1 IP), Nick Distasio (10, 8.0 IP) and Dakota Forsyth (7.2, 10).
Penn State ranks 47th in the country and third in the Big Ten averaging 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings.
Biasi leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the nation with 13.66 strikeouts per nine innings.
Bowersox Leading at the Dish
Jordan Bowersox is the team leader in average (.353), hits (24), doubles (7) and on-base percentage (.419).
He is also second on the team with 12 RBIs, seven extra-base hits (6 2B, 1HR), a .485 slugging percentage and tied for second with four stolen bases.
Conlin Hughes and Bowersox are the only two Nittany Lions to play in every game and start every game so far this season.
Power Bump
Year-over-year, Penn State has doubled its home run total through 22 games, jumping from five to 10. Penn State hit 16 home runs in all of 2016.
The Lions have also slugged 17 more extra base hits, totaling 52 so far this season.
Penn State's 10 home runs in the first 14 games of the season was is its most since at least 2002.
New Power Sources
Seven different Nittany Lions, as many as last year, have combined for 10 home runs.
Four hit their first career home runs, including three sophomores - Conlin Hughes, Jordan Bowersox and Keith Leavitt - and one freshman - Braxton Giavedoni.
Christian Helsel hit a grand slam against Pacific (3/5) after going homer-less in 2016. He hit one home run in 2015.
Willie Burger hit just one home run as a freshman, but hit two in the third game of the season at No. 1 TCU (2/19) and added another at Sacramento State (3/11).
Nick Riotto has one home run after hitting two last season. He is the only Nittany Lion returning with multiple home runs hit the season prior.
Burger is the team power leader with a career-high three home runs and 20 RBIs. He is also batting .273 and getting on base at a .309 clip.