UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team hosts Rutgers in a four-game series and the final home weekend of the season for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State will honor its 10 student-athletes and two other members of the baseball program who earned their degrees from Penn State following the completion of Sunday's game.
Series Information
All-Time Series Record: PSU 45-33
Live Stats
Radio on LionVision with Brian Tripp
Stream on BTN+ ($) Friday-Sunday, BTN on Monday
Probable Starters
Game 1
Penn State – RHP Bailey Dees
Rutgers – LHP Harry Rutkowski
Game 2
Penn State – RHP Conor Larkin
Rutgers– LHP Ben Wereski
Game 3
Penn State – RHP Kyle Virbitsky
Rutgers – RHP Brent Teller
Game 4
Penn State – TBD
Rutgers - TBD
Last Time vs. Rutgers
The Nittany Lions and Scarlet Knights met earlier this season with Penn State taking two of three in Piscataway. Penn State won the first game of the series 1-0, game two 5-1 and fell in game three 6-4. Penn State starting pitchers did not allow a run through 19 innings of work before the Scarlet Knights plated runs in the eighth inning of game three.
Diamond Lions on the Bump
Bailey Dees will start on Friday against the Scarlet Knights. In his previous start against Rutgers. Dees went six scoreless innings, scattering seven hits while striking out three. Dees is 3-3 on the season with a 5.60 ERA. He has struck out 44 in his 53.0 innings of work.
Conor Larkin starts for Penn State in game two. Larkin allowed just three hits in his six innings against Rutgers on April 3. Larkin struck out seven as Penn State won his start 5-1. Larkin enters the game with a 3-6 record. He is second on the team with 60 strikeouts.
Kyle Virbitsky looks to continue his strike of strong starts for the Nittany Lions in Sunday's matchup. In his last nine starts, Virbitsky has a 3.50 ERA with 61 strikeouts. Against Rutgers on April 4, Virbitsky went 7.1 innings. He allowed three runs in the no decision, striking out six in his previous career-high seven and a third. Virbitsky is seventh in the conference in strikeouts (66) and innings pitched (57.1).
The Nittany Lions fourth starter will be announced at a later time.
Penn State Hitters
Gavin Homer leads the Nittany Lions with a .324 average with at least 100 at bats. He is one of three Nittany Lions hitting over .300. Homer is seventh in the league in stole bases (8) and ninth in the conference with a .440 on base percentage.
Homer reached base in 22 consecutive games, a streak that came to an end in the final game of the series last weekend against Iowa.
Homer's partner up the middle, shortstop Jay Harry, has been arguable Penn State's hottest hitter over the last 10 games. Harry is hitting .406 during this stretch, hitting safely in nine of his last 10 and seven straight. He has raised his average 51 points in during this time frame.
At the hot corner, Justin Williams is batting .389 over his last five games and is one of the three Nittany Lions hitting over .300 this season.
Johnny Piacentino has been on a tear over his last five games, batting .435 with five doubles. Piacentino leads Penn State with six home runs, 27 RBI and is tied for the team lead with 37 hits.
Curtis Robison is currently tied for second in the Big Ten with 12 doubles.
Up Next
The Nittany Lions will travel to Illinois for its next weekend series.