UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State opens a six-game homestand with a pair of midweek contests, hosting regional foes Youngstown State Tuesday and Pittsburgh Wednesday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. First pitch for both games is set for 6:30 p.m.
Promotions
Tuesday
- Triple Play Packages available: Includes 1 ticket, 1 hotdog and 1 soda. Available in advance and at the gates.
Wednesday
- Wing Wednesday
- 80s Night
- Student Giveaway
Biasi Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
Dante Biasi was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Monday after a leading the Nittany Lions to shutout win over Indiana this past Friday.
Biasi struck out nine and allowed just two hits and a walk in 6.1 innings against the Hoosiers, the nation's top home run hitting team, earning his second combined shutout of the season. It was his seventh effort in eight starts on the year in which he allowed one or less earned run, and his fourth in which he struck out nine or more batters.
The shutout win was Penn State's first in a Big Ten game since defeating Maryland, 2-0, on April 30, 2016, and first shutout win over Indiana since April 30, 2006
Biasi leads the Big Ten and ranks 17th in the nation with 66 strikeouts for the season, and also leads the conference and ranks 23rd in the nation with a miniscule 5.24 hits allowed per nine innings. He boasts a 1.75 ERA for the season that ranks seventh in the conference, and he's been even better in conference play with a 0.49 ERA and 27 strikeouts in three starts and 18.1 innings pitched.
Biasi is Penn State's first Big Ten Pitcher of the Week since Steven Hill earned the honor on April 23, 2012 following a no-hitter against Iowa.
Shingledecker Set for First Career Start
Penn State freshman LHP Tyler Shingledecker will make his first career start Tuesday against Youngstown State.
Shingledecker is second on the team in appearances with 11 and is 1-1 with a save and 4.12 ERA. He has also struck out 26 batters in 19.2 innings pitched.
Shingledecker's .167 opponent batting average is the lowest on the amongst pitchers with double-digit innings pitched.
Mellott Leads the 'Pen
Sophomore Mason Mellott has emerged as Penn State's relief ace. He is 4-1 and has four saves, factoring in on eight of Penn State's 16 wins.
Mellott leads the team with a 1.18 ERA that leads the Big Ten and ranks 11th in the NCAA.
Mellott is third on the team in innings pitched with 38.0 and leads the team with 12 appearances.
Mellott's four saves this season match his season total from 2018.
Mellott's four wins rank fourth in the Big Ten. They are the most by a Penn State reliever since Nick Distasio and Dakota Forsyth both won four games each in 2017.
Sit Down
Penn State is averaging 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings to lead the Big Ten and rank 11th in the nation.
Penn State has struck out nine or more batters in 21 out of 27 games this season.
Dante Biasi leads the Big Ten with 66 strikeouts and 12.82 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks 17th and 21st, respectively, in the categories nationally.
Biasi and Conor Larkin combined for 17 strikeouts against Minnesota (3/23), marking the most strikeouts in a game for Penn State since at least 2004.
All-Time vs. Youngstown State
Penn State leads Youngstown State, 7-2, in the overall series. The teams are meeting for the first time since 2016, which was also in University Park. Penn State won the last game played, 6-1. The all-time series dates back to 1988.
Scouting Youngstown State
Youngstown State is currently 7-24 and 4-8 in Horizon conference play. The Penguins have won four of their last six games, most recently winning two of thee against conference rival UIC. The Penguins have been very aggressive on the base paths averaging 2.04 stolen bases per game, which is tied for 21st most in the country.
All-Time vs. Pitt
Penn State leads the all-time series against Pitt, 88-45-1 and has won 12 of the last 18 games. The team's are completing their annual home-and-home series, which Penn State holds the upper hand in after 7-3 win at Pitt in March. The Panthers are visiting Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the first time since 2017 after last season's game in Happy Valley was canceled due to weather. Pitt is Penn State's second-most frequent opponent with 134 all-time meetings since 1912.
Scouting Pitt
Pittsburgh is 8-22 this season and 2-13 in ACC play. Connor Perry leads the team with a .303 batting average and eight home runs, with the latter figure ranking seventh in the ACC and 44th in the NCAA. Ron Washington, Jr. is batting .301 and among the ACC doubles leaders with 13.
Pitching Prowess
Penn State ranks among the Big Ten leaders in pitching with a WHIP of 1.27 (3rd) and hits allowed per nine innings rate of 7.32 (3rd Big Ten, 23rd NCAA).
Penn State's strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.55 ranks second in the Big Ten, and its 4.04 walks allowed per nine innings ranks fourth.
PSU's 3.75 ERA ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 49th in the NCAA; and it is an improvement over last season's 5.53 ERA for the year.
Penn State's bullpen has seen four different pitchers earn seven saves, led by Mason Mellott (4) and Kyle Virbitsky (2).