| PENN STATE at No. 22 MICHIGAN | |
| Friday, Mar. 31- 4:00 p.m. | |
| Saturday, Apr. 1 - 2:00 p.m. | |
| Sunday, Apr. 2 - 1:00 p.m. | |
Wilpon Complex | Ann Arbor, Mich.
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| Game 1: | Live Audio | Live Video |
| Game 2: | Live Audio | Live Video |
| Game 3: | Live Audio | Live Video |
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| Game Notes: Penn State | Michigan |
| Statistics: Penn State | Michigan |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.. - Penn State will travel to No. 22 Michigan to open its 2017 Big Ten baseball slate, opening a three-game series Friday at 4 p.m., and continuing Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Essentials
Live Video: GoPSUsports.com
Live Audio: GoPSUSports.com
Live Stats: GoPSUsports.com
TV: N/A
Radio: State College's ESPN 1450 AM
Michigan Series History: 48-43
Last Series: 2015, at Penn State, Michigan 2-1
Streak: L2
Friday Probables
PSU RHP Sal Biasi (3-2, 4.13 ERA)
U-M LHP Oliver Jaskie (3-1, 3.44 ERA)
Saturday Probables
PSU RHP Justin Hagenman (1-4, 4.64 ERA)
U-M RHP Ryan Nutof (1-1, 6.39 ERA)
Sunday Probables
PSU RHP Eric Mock (0-1, 2.16 ERA)
U-M LHP Michael Hendrickson (2-0, 3.25 ERA)
B1G Momentum
Penn State is coming off its best Big Ten season since 2012, going 12-12 last season to tie for seventh. Only a tiebreaker prevented the Nittany Lions from advancing to the Big Ten tournament. The Lions earned at least one win in each Big Ten series.
Rescheduling
Penn State has rescheduled its postponed baseball contest against Binghamton for Monday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions were originally scheduled to host the Bearcats Tuesday, but inclement weather forced the postponement of the game. The addition of the game will result in five games in five days for the Lions. Penn State will host Ohio State Friday-Sunday, Apr. 7-9 and Bucknell Tuesday, Apr. 11. Penn State is also still looking to reschedule a game against West Virginia that was postponed for weather Wednesday, Mar. 22.
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 23 games is 2.05. On the mound the Lions are averaging 2.13 years of experience as compared to 2.04 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.
Penn State only has three upperclassman position players on the roster and the trio has only started together just once this season - in Penn State's last game. Senior catcher Alex Malinsky drew his first start after missing much of the early part of the season due to injury.
Striking Out the Opposition
Penn State pitchers have struck out 92 batters over the last nine games for an average of 10.2 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 10 include Eric Mock (13, 8.1 IP), Nick Distasio (10, 8.0 IP) and Dakota Forsyth (13, 7.2 IP).
Penn State ranks 53rd in the country and third in the Big Ten averaging 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Biasi leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth in the nation with 13.66 strikeouts per nine innings.
All-Time vs. Michigan
Penn State and Michigan met annually for 20 straight years (1992-2013), but have not met each other in the past two even numbered years. Penn State holds the all time series lead at 48-43 and the edge in Ann Arbor with a 25-18 advantage, but Michigan has won five of the past six meetings.
Scouting Michigan
Michigan is ranked as high as No. 22 by D1Baseball.com. The Wolverines are 19-6 on the season after opening Big Ten play last weekend, dropping two out of three to Big Ten preseason favorite Maryland. Michigan has been strong in all phases of the game, leading the Big Ten in pitching and ranking 27th nationally with a 3.16 ERA. The Wolverines also lead the conference in hits, walks and stolen bases, ranking third in the NCAA in the latter with an average of 2.28 swipes per game. Michael Brdar leads the team with a .330 batting average, while Drew Lugbauer has provided the power with six home runs and 27 RBIs.
Career Night For Malinsky
Alex Malinsky made his first start of the season against Cornell (3/29) after missing start of the season due to a preseason injury.
Malinsky set career highs with three hits, two doubles and three RBIs, and he stole his second career base.
Beginners' Luck
Four of Penn State's wins have come with first-time starting pitchers.
Junior RHP Schuyler Bates earned his first career win in his first start against Cornell (3/29). Bates put together a five-inning, three-strikeout effort, allowing just two hits and two walks and retiring the sides in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Bowersox Leading at the Dish
Jordan Bowersox is the team leader in average (.360), hits (31), doubles (7), stolen bases (7), slugging percentage (.477) and on-base percentage (.433).
He is also second on the team with 13 RBIs and eight extra-base hits (7 2B, 1HR).
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 almost doubled its home run total through 23 games, jumping from six to 10. Penn State hit 16 home runs in all of 2016.
The Lions have also slugged 18 more extra base hits, totaling 56 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.