The production Wes Borden displayed in 2008 was an earnest of Penn State baseball[apos]s ability to overcome misfortune and use its depth to its advantage. After Mike Deese was lost to injury for the season in the sixth game of the season, Borden took over at third base, eventually starting in 52 games in his first season at University Park, Pa. Borden led the team with 13 stolen bases, 48 runs and second with 34 walks. The senior from Charlotte, N.C. hit .313 in 2009 and displayed a strong work ethic and an ability to play multiple positions in the infield. Borden put together the longest hitting streak since 2004 when he hit safely in 16 consecutive games.
2008
Took over the starting third base position after Mike Deese was lost with an injury for the season after just six games....Played in 53 games this year, starting 52 of them....Started 43 games at third, eight at second and one at short....Emerged as the team[apos]s leadoff hitter and hit in the leadoff spot in 38 games....Put together a 16-game hitting streak from April 9-April 30, the longest hitting streak for a Penn State player since 2004 and the longest for a Nittany Lion under head coach Robbie Wine....Recorded a hit in 35 of 50 games and reached base safely in 40 of 50 games....Became the first Penn State player in over two years, since Scott Gummo in 2006, to draw four walks in a game as he did so vs. Iowa (5-10)....Raised his batting average by 91 points from .205 to .313 in the final 32 games of the season....Leads the team in stolen bases (13) and runs (48)....Second on the team and tied for sixth in the Big Ten in walks (34)....Third on the team in batting average (.313), fifth in hits (60), fourth in on-base percentage (.417)....Also is third in defensive assists (104)....Has 15 multiple-hit games, including four three-hit games and one four-hit game, one of five different Nittany Lions to have a four-hit game this year.
Game-by-Game Highlights
_vs. Wake Forest (3/2): Went 2-for-4 and hit his only home run of the year.
_vs. Lehigh (3/21): Had three RBI and scored two runs in the home opener.
_vs. Pittsburgh (4/9): Began his hitting streak with a 1-for-3 performance.
_vs. Purdue (4/13): Had a breakout game by going 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs in the series finale win over the Boilermakers.
_vs. Akron (4/15): Stole two bases, doubled and went 3-for-4 off the Zips.
_vs. Indiana (4/19): Drove in a pair and went 2-for-4 with a double.
_vs. La Salle (4/22): Stole another pair of bases and scored twice and went 2-for-5.
_vs. Youngstown State (4/23): Waited until extra innings to extend his hitting streak but did so and also walked twice and drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 13th inning to defeat the Penguins.
_vs. Illinois (4/25-27): Hit .500 (8-for-16) in the Illinois series (4-25 - 4-27), including a 3-for-5 performance with two runs scored in the second game and a 2-for-2 performance with three runs in the third game.
_vs. Iowa (5/10): Scored twice and went 2-for-4 in the first game of a twinbill against the Hawkeyes. Drew four walks and scored two runs in the second game of the doubleheader.
_vs. Minnesota (5-15/16): Collected his first career four-hit game in the series opener the Golden Gophers. Went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and two walks in the second game of a doubleheader.
Appalachian State
Second on the team with a .321 average as a freshman in 2006....Played in 47 games with 38 starts and had 50 hits, 27 runs, 26 RBI, a .404 slugging percentage, a .382 on-base percentage, and committed just six errors in 352 chances in the field....Had 14 multi-hit games and was fourth on the team in doubles (13)....In the first four games of his career, had a three-hit game and two four-hit games....Had a season-long 13-game hitting streak....As a sophomore, was hampered by injuries for most of the season and only played in 24 games, making 18 starts and went 13-for-56 with 10 runs and nine RBI but also had an impressive .358 on-base percentage.
South Mecklenburg HS
Was on the varsity team for three years at South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C....Hit .444 as a junior with 31 RBI and was named All-Conference and All-Mecklenburg as the team went 27-3....As a senior, hit .403 with 32 RBI and was named All-State, All-Mecklenburg, All-Conference and All-Charlotte Observer....Also earned the Coaches[apos] Award twice during his career....Team won a conference championship in all three of his years on the varsity and was the state runner-up his senior year....Was a member of the National Honor Society
Background
Wesley Lucas Borden was born on November 24, 1986 in Dallas, Texas....Son of Craig Borden and Lisa Lewis....Has an older sister, Jenny (23), a step brother, Patrick (22) and four step-sisters -- Ashley (24), Taylor (21), Carson (16) and Ellie (13)....Lists music, playing the guitar and piano as hobbies....Majoring in economics.