UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball program continues it road trip with a second series of the season, heading to Indiana for a four-game series against the Hoosiers. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 2-2 opening weekend against the Northwestern Wildcats.
Series Information
All-Time Series – PSU 42-41
Last Series – at Indiana, 1-2, 2019
Live Stats
Stream on BTN+ ($)
Probable Starters
Friday, March 12
Game 1 – 1 p.m. ET
Penn State – Bailey Dees (1-0)
Indiana – Tommy Sommer (1-0)
Game 2 – 4 p.m. ET
Penn State – Conor Larkin (0-1)
Indiana – Gabe Bierman (0-1)
Saturday, March 13 – 1 p.m. ET
Penn State – Jaden Henline (0-0)
Indiana – McCade Brown (1-0)
Sunday, March 14 – 1 p.m. ET
Penn State – TBD
Indiana – Ty Bothwell (1-0)
Last Time vs. Indiana
- The Nittany Lions and Hoosiers last met for a three-game series in 2019. The Hoosiers took two of three in that series.
Up To Bat
- The Nittany Lions baseball team begins their second Big Ten weekend of the season.
- The Nittany Lions went 2-2 during the opening weekend against Northwestern last weekend. Penn State won its opening game 6-3 and won the final game of the series 13-10.
Diamond Lions on the Bump
- Junior Bailey Dees toes the rubber on Friday to open the series against the Hoosiers. Dees picked up his first win of the season on opening day. Dees went five innings, striking out five allowing just two earn runs. Dees was relieved by Tyler Shingledecker who picked up a four-inning save. Shingledecker struck out nine and allowed just one unearned run.
- Junior Conor Larkin will start game two of the doubleheader on Friday. Larkin went four innings and punched out eight in the seven inning game of the doubleheader.
- Freshman Jaden Henline made his Nittany Lion debut, tossing four innings and struck out six. He worked around five hits and allowed one run in his first collegiate start.
- Junior Mason Mellott worked three innings out of the bullpen, not allowing a run in game two of the four game set.
- The Nittany Lions pitching staff struck out 43 Wildcats in the season opener.
Penn State Hitters
- Redshirt freshman Josh Spiegel opened his season by going 8-15 (.533) from the plate with three home runs and three doubles. Spiegel also drove in a team best six runs. Spiegel started all four game, three at DH and one behind the plate and recorded a multiple hits in three of four games.
- Senior second baseman Gavin Homer led off in all four games and had three multi-hit games. Homer is currently batting .467 with a pair of doubles.
- Freshman Johnny Piacentino overcame a slow start at the place by tying a Penn State school record by hitting three home runs in the series finale against Northwestern. Piacentino went 3-4 with four RBI and four runs scored to power Penn State to a 13-10 win the final game of the season-opening series. Piacentino and the Nittany Lions blasted five home runs in the final game.
- Freshman backstop Matt Wood anchored the Nittany Lion pitching staff while hitting in the middle of the order for Penn State. Wood caught three games and DHed in the fourth. Wood batted .385 and belted his first home run of the season in the series finale.
Big Ten Leaders
- The Nittany Lions lead the conference in batting average, hits and slugging percentage through the first four games of the season. Penn State is currently tied for the conference lead with eight home runs.
- Penn State conference leaders in individual stats include: Josh Spiegel (8 Hits), Jay Harry (4 Doubles), Spiegel/Piacentino (3 HRs).