UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball program hosts Michigan State for a three-game series beginning Friday, April 30. The Nittany Lions and Spartans played twice previously this season.
The first game of the series will be at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday night.
Series Information
All-Time Series Record: MSU 50-38
Live Stats
Stream on BTN+ ($)
Probable Starters
Game 1
Penn State – RHP Bailey Dees
Michigan State – RHP Mason Erla
Game 2
Penn State – Conor Larkin
Michigan State – LHP Seth Lonsway
Game 3
Penn State – Kyle Virbitsky
Michigan State – TBD
Last Time vs. Michigan State
The Nittany Lions and Spartans split their previous meeting this season on April 9. In the doubleheader, Michigan State took game one 7-4 and the Nittany Lions won the nightcap 7-3. In the victory, Conor Larkin picked up his second win of the year.
Penn State scored four runs in the top of the first behind a two RBI double by Justin Williams and a two-run homer by Matt Wood. Larkin went 5.2 innings and was relieved by Tyler Shingledecker who collected the save with 3.1 innings pitched on the day.
Diamond Lions on the Bump
Bailey Dees makes his ninth start of the season for the Nittany Lions on Friday night. Dees is 2-2 on the season with a 5.57 ERA in 42 innings pitched.
Conor Larkin also makes his ninth start of the year with a 5.09 ERA. Larkin is second on the team in both innings pitched (40.2) and strikeouts (49).
Team strikeout leader Kyle Virbitsky will start on Sunday. Virbitsky is 1-3 with 51 strikeouts. Virbitsky is 10th in the Big Ten in strikeouts.
Penn State Hitters
Gavin Homer leads the Nittany Lions with a .333 average this season with a team leading .434 OBP. Homer also leads the team with seven stolen bases. Homer's seven stolen bases are sixth in the Big Ten and his .346 average is good for seventh in the conference.
Homer has reached base safely in his last 17 games. This is the second longest streak by a Nittany Lion this season (Justin Williams - 18 games).
Freshman catcher/DH Matt Wood leads the team in slugging percentage at a .568 clip. Of Wood's 25 hits this season, 12 are for extra bases.
Curtis Robison is currently sixth in the Big Ten with his nine doubles.
Penn State is second in the conference as a team with 62 doubles.
Up Next
The Nittany Lions travel to Iowa for their next matchup May 7-9.