2011 Penn State Baseball

Transcription

1 2011 Penn State Baseball April 20, 2011 Maryland Medlar Field at Lubrano Park University Park, Pa. MARYLAND PREVIEW Having won two of the first four games during its current home stretch, Penn State (21-12) will look to kick it into high gear this week with a battle against Maryland. Overall, the Lions hold a 7-5 record in Happy Valley, including a 4-2 mark against non-conference opponents. ACC foe Maryland (17-20) will serve as the team s next test as the squad makes its first trip to Penn State since winning a 3-2 decision on April 15, Despite their relative proximity, the two programs have met just 22 times and only twice since Overall, the Lions hold the lead in the all-time series with a 13-9 record. Non-conference battles with ACC foes have been rare in recent years for Penn State, but Maryland marks the second team from the league that the Lions have faced this year. Earlier, PSU took two-of-three from NC State in Raleigh over spring break. Successful in non-conference action, Penn State enters the game hitting.294 against teams outside of the Big Ten. The pitching staff has also posted a 3.13 ERA against non-league foes, which is a run less than its mark against conference competition. Looking to win just its fourth road game in 18 opportunities this year, Maryland will rely on its running game. The Terrapins have stolen 72 bases this season, which ranks 11th in the nation. Alfredo Rodriguez has been the top thief, swiping 18 bags in 21 tries. Charlie White has also been dangerous, going 15-for-15 in his attempts this year STATS LEADERS BATTER GP-GS AVG AB R H HR RBI Jordan Steranka Sean Deegan Joey DeBernardis Luis Montesinos Bobby Jacobs PITCHER GP-GS ERA W-L SVs IP SO B/Avg. Geoff Boylston Steven Hill John Walter Ryan Ignas Mike Franklin SCHEDULE Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result Feb. 18 vs. Seton Hall St. Petersburg, Fla. W 8-6 Feb. 19 vs. West Virginia Clearwater, Fla. W 3-2 Feb. 20 vs. Notre Dame St. Petersburg, Fla. L 5-8 Feb. 21 vs. Nexen Heroes St. Petersburg, Fla. W 8-7 Feb. 26 at Eastern Kentucky Richmond, Ky. W 7-1 at Eastern Kentucky Richmond, Ky. L 5-7 Feb. 27 at Eastern Kentucky Richmond, Ky. L 6-7 Mar. 4 at North Carolina State Raleigh, N.C. W 3-2 Mar. 5 at North Carolina State Raleigh, N.C. L 1-4 Mar. 6 at North Carolina State Raleigh, N.C. W 9-4 Mar. 8 at Old Dominion Norfolk, Va. W 6-1 (11) Mar. 9 at Old Dominion Norfolk, Va. W 10-4 Mar. 12 at Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. W 5-1 at Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. W 12-1 Mar. 13 at Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. L 2-4 at Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. W 5-0 Mar. 18 at Wichita State Wichita, Kan. L 0-9 Mar. 19 at Wichita State Wichita, Kan. W 4-2 Mar. 20 at Wichita State Wichita, Kan. W 9-4 (11) Mar. 23 at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pa. Postponed Mar. 25 Le Moyne University Park, Pa. L 6-10 Mar. 26 Le Moyne University Park, Pa. W 6-2 Mar. 27 Le Moyne University Park, Pa. W 10-3 Albany University Park, Pa. W 6-4 Mar. 30 at Kent State Kent, Ohio Cancelled Apr. 1 Illinois * University Park, Pa. L 6-7 Apr. 2 Illinois * University Park, Pa. W 3-1 Apr. 3 Illinois * University Park, Pa. W 13-4 Apr. 5 Kent State University Park, Pa. L 6-7 Apr. 9 at Northwestern * Evanston, Ill. W 12-0 at Northwestern * Evanston, Ill. W 7-3 Apr. 10 at Northwestern * Evanston, Ill. L 8-9 Apr. 12 Mount St. Mary s University Park, Pa. Cancelled Apr. 13 Pittsburgh University Park, Pa. W 5-4 Apr. 15 Purdue * University Park, Pa. L 3-5 Apr. 16 Purdue * University Park, Pa. W 4-3 Apr. 17 Purdue * University Park, Pa. L 4-15 Apr. 20 Maryland University Park, Pa. 6:05 p.m. ET Apr. 22 Ohio State * University Park, Pa. 6:35 p.m. ET Apr. 23 Ohio State * University Park, Pa. 2:05 p.m. ET Apr. 24 Ohio State * University Park, Pa. 1:05 p.m. ET Apr. 26 La Salle University Park, Pa. 6:05 p.m. ET Apr. 27 Bucknell University Park, Pa. 6:05 p.m. ET Apr. 29 at Michigan State * East Lansing, Mich. 3:05 p.m. ET Apr. 30 at Michigan State * East Lansing, Mich. 1:05 p.m. ET May 1 at Michigan State * East Lansing, Mich. 1:05 p.m. ET May 6 at Iowa * Iowa City, Iowa 6:00 p.m. ET May 7 at Iowa * Iowa City, Iowa 1:00 p.m. ET May 8 at Iowa * Iowa City, Iowa 1:05 p.m. ET May 10 Niagara University Park, Pa. 3:35 p.m. ET May 13 Minnesota * University Park, Pa. 6:35 p.m. ET May 14 Minnesota * University Park, Pa. 2:05 p.m. ET May 15 Minnesota * University Park, Pa. 12:05 p.m. ET May 17 Villanova University Park, Pa. 3:35 p.m. ET May 19 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich. 6:05 p.m. ET May 20 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich. 6:05 p.m. ET May 21 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich. 1:00 p.m. ET 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 1

2 2011 Penn State Baseball 2011 PENN STATE BASEBALL ROSTER No. Name...Pos. Elig. Ht. Wt. B/T Hometown High School (Last School) 1 Blake Lynd...OF SR L/L Deer Park, Texas Deer Park/Alvin C.C. 3 Luis Montesinos... SS SO R/R Miami, Fla. Palmetto 4 Gaston Escudero... IF FR R/R Orange County, Calif. Santa Margarita 5 Heath Johnson...OF SR R/R Alamagordo, N.M. Alamagordo/Frank Philips College 6 Sam August...OF FR L/R Needham, Mass. Phillips Academy 7 Steve Snyder...OF SO R/R West Chester, Pa. West Chester East 9 Scott Dixon...RHP FR R/R Blairsville, Pa. Derry Area 10 Elliot Searer...2B/OF SO R/R Lewistown, Pa. Lewistown 11 Cody Lewis...RHP JR R/R Laguna Niguel, Calif. Dana Hills/Saddleback J.C. 12 Ryan Clark...OF/C SO R/R Westerville, Ohio St. Francis DeSales 14 Bobby Jacobs...C SR R/R West Chester, Pa. West Chester East 15 TJ Jann...RHP/IF FR R/R Westford, Mass. Westford Academy 16 Greg Welsh...LHP FR L/L Holland, Pa. Council Rock South 18 Evan Dixon...RHP SO R/R Waynesboro, Pa. Greencastle 19 Steven Hill...RHP SO R/R Colleyville, Texas Colleyville Heritage 20 Joey DeBernardis...1B JR R/R Lake Zurich, Ill. Lake Zurich 21 Zach Ell...OF FR R/R Plains, Pa. Holy Redeemer 22 Alex Farkes...C FR R/R Boston, Mass. Buckingham Browne & Nichols 23 Michael Glantz... SS SR R/R Marietta, Ga. George Walton/Young Harris 24 Sean Parvin... IF JR L/R Irvine, Calif. Northwood/Saddleback J.C. 25 Jordan Steranka...3B JR L/R Pittsburgh, Pa. Mt. Lebanon 26 John Bixler...C FR R/R Boiling Springs, Pa. Boiling Springs 27 Joe Kurrasch...LHP SO L/L San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Serra/California 28 Tim Dunn...LHP FR L/L Newport Beach, Calif. Tesoro 29 Mike Pierce...LHP SR L/L State College, Pa. State College 31 Geoff Boylston...LHP FR L/L West Chester, Pa. Archmere Academy 32 Sean Deegan...OF JR L/R Readington, N.J. Hunterdon Central 34 Neal Herring...RHP SO R/R West Chester, Pa. West Chester East 35 Jesse Alfreno...RHP SR R/R Grove City, Pa. Grove City 36 Dave Walkling...RHP JR R/R Nanaimo, Canada Nanaimo/Midland College 38 Kris Johnson...OF FR R/R Valrico, Fla. Jesuit 39 Mike Franklin...LHP JR L/L Harleysville, Pa. Souderton 40 Ryan Ignas...RHP JR R/R North Wales, Pa. Lansdale Catholic 42 Mario Eramo... C/UTL SR L/R Houston, Texas Langham Creek/Blinn 50 John Walter...RHP SO R/R Haddonfield, N.J. Haddonfield 2011 PENN STATE COACHING STAFF 77 Robbie Wine - Head Coach 17 Jason Bell - Assistant Coach, Pitching 2 Eric Folmar - Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coordinator 41 Will Hoover - Assistant Coach 2011 PENN STATE PRONUNCIATION GUIDE 3 Luis Montesnios...Lewis 25 Jordan Steranka... STIR - ahn - ka 35 Jesse Alfreno... Al - FRAY - no 42 Mario Eramo... AIR - moe 2 Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship

3 2011 Penn State Baseball LAST TIME OUT Penn State got its homestand going by splitting its first four games. The Nittany Lions topped Pittsburgh, 5-4, before taking one-of-three from Purdue over the weekend. During that stretch, Jordan Steranka led the team with a.438 batting average and six RBI. He also roped two doubles and stole a base. Additionally, Michael Glantz found his groove, collecting four hits while scoring twice. On the mound, Mike Franklin picked up his second victory of the season after not surrendering an earned run over six innings of work against Pitt. Heath Johnson also tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief on Saturday against Purdue to earn his second win of the season. HOT START IN THE BIG TEN After taking both ends of the doubleheader against Northwestern two weeks ago, Penn State captured its second straight Big Ten series after also taking two-of-three from Illinois. It marks the first time since 2001 that the Nittany Lions have started conference play in such an impressive fashion. That season, Penn State took a pair from Indiana before sweeping Michigan on the way to a fourth-place finish in the conference. SUCCESS AGAINST THE BEST During the first half of the season, Penn State battled four teams ranked in the top-100 of the RPI and posted wins against three of them. Overall, the Nittany Lions went 3-2 against their topflight opposition. In the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, PSU notched a victory against West Virginia, which ranks 87th. Later, over spring break, the squad took two-of-three from North Carolina State, which enters the week ranked 33rd in the RPI. Most recently, the squad dropped a close 7-6 decision to Kent State, which stands 47th overall. Looking ahead, the Lions have a chance to continue their dominance against top-ranked teams as the squad faces Maryland, Michigan State, and Ohio State, who all rank in the top-100. COMPLETING WHAT THEY START Sophomore aces Steven Hill and John Walter have combined to toss four complete games this season after Hill fired gems against Norfolk State on March 12, Le Moyne on March 26, and Northwestern on April 9, while Walter did it against Illinois on April 2. Their four complete games in 2011 are one more than the combined total recorded by all Penn State pitchers during the 2009 and 2010 campaigns. Last year, the Nittany Lions received a pair of complete game efforts after tossing only one in GOING THE EXTRA MILE 2011 PENN STATE MEDIA INFORMATION Baseball SID... Kenny Kline Phone... (814) Fax...(814) khk10@psu.edu Assistant Athletic Director/Communications... Jeff Nelson Website...GoPSUSports.com 2011 PENN STATE QUICK FACTS SCHOOL INFORMATION Location... University Park, Pa. Founded Enrollment... 44,112 Colors... Blue and White Conference... Big Ten Nickname...Nittany Lions President... Dr. Graham Spanier Director of Athletics... Tim Curley BASEBALL HISTORY 2010 Record Big Ten Record/Finish (10th) All-Time Record (Years)... 1,857-1, (122) All-Time Big Ten Record (Years) (19) NCAA Tournament Appearances...19 NCAA Tournament Record College World Series Appearances , 1957, 1959, 1963, 1973 TEAM INFORMATION Starters Returning/Lost... 7/2 Pitchers Returning/Lost... 8/4 Letterwinners Returning/Lost... 17/7 Newcomers...15 COACHING STAFF Head Coach... Robbie Wine Career Record (Years) (6) Assistant Coaches... Jason Bell (Pitching)... Eric Folmar (Recruiting)...Will Hoover Joey DeBernardis and Sean Deegan have been exceptional at collecting extra-base hits in DeBeBernardis currently sits 19th in the nation with 16 doubles. Deegan has been proficient at going the extra 90-feet as the junior centerfielder has roped five triples. That total is also the 19th highest in the nation. In addition to those standouts, Jordan Steranka leads the Big Ten with six home runs, while Deegan and Mario Eramo rank second with five. 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 3

4 2011 Penn State Baseball 2011 NCBWA POLL RANK SCHOOL CONFERENCE RECORD L. WEEK PRE. 1 Virginia Atlantic Coast South Carolina Southeastern Vanderbilt Southeastern Texas Big Florida Southeastern Arizona State Pacific TCU Mountain West Cal State Fullerton Big West Texas A&M Big Florida State Atlantic Coast Oklahoma Big Arkansas Southeastern North Carolina Atlantic Coast Fresno State Western Athletic Oregon State Pacific Georgia Tech Atlantic Coast UCLA Pacific UC Irvine Big West Rice Conference USA Oklahoma State Big Clemson Atlantic Coast California Pacific Stanford Pacific Southern Miss Conference USA Arizona Pacific Stetson Atlantic Sun LSU Southeastern Charlotte Atlantic Creighton Missouri Valley NR 30 Miami Atlantic Coast NR OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES (listed alphabetically): Alabama (24-15), Cal State Bakersfield (24-8), Coastal Carolina (24-12), Connecticut ( ), East Carolina (24-12), Elon (24-13), Georgia (19-18), Georgia State (27-11), Gonzaga ( ), Jacksonville (23-13), James Madison (25-12), N.C. State (21-16), New Mexico State (27-9), Sam Houston State (26-12), Stephen F. Austin (26-11), Texas State (23-12), Troy (26-9), UNC Wilmington (21-14), West Virginia (22-15), Western Kentucky (24-13), Yale (20-12). THRICE AS NICE Against Illinois on Saturday, Penn State turned one of the more unusual triple plays in baseball. Joey DeBernardis, Michael Glantz, and Jordan Steranka teamed up on a tiple play, which marked the first time the Nittany Lions have accomplished the feat since April 16, 2005 against Minnesota. With runners on second and third, Davis Hendrickson fired a rocket to first. After snagging the ball on a hop, DeBernardis tagged the batter coming down the line. Noticing the two Illinois runners standing around third, DeBernardis began sprinting across the infield as Brandon Hohl, who started the play on second, tried to retreat back to his base. With confusion sweeping the field, DeBernardis fired to Glantz, who quickly tagged Hohl for the second out. Briefly thinking he could score on that throw, Matt Dittman made a break for home before reconsidering his decision. Stranded in no man s land, he tried to scoot back to third, but Glantz tossed a strike to Steranka, who made a great tag on Dittman to complete the play. PASSING EARLY SEASON TESTS In two early season series, the Nittany Lions more than held their own against a pair of perennial powers. To kick off their spring break trip, Penn State took two-of-three from ACC foe NC State, which was coming off an NCAA Tournament run last season. Later, the squad took a pair from Wichita State, which was ranked No. 26 at the time and had just swept a series from No. 11 Arizona. Later this season, the Lions will face three more squads that competed in last year s national tournament when the team plays a home-and-home against Kent State before hosting Bucknell and Minnesota. DOUBLE TROUBLE The Penn State defense has been efficient at flipping double plays during the early part of the 2011 season. Through 32 games, the Nittany Lions have turned 45 twin killings. Their total this season currently ranks sixth in the nation. The squad s finest efforts came against NC State on March 5 and Northwestern on April 10 when the infield turned four double plays. MARIO S MOON SHOTS Although every home run is an impressive feat, Mario Eramo adds a little extra to his bombs by providing tape-measure shots. Against Eastern Kentucky, he clubbed his first homer high off the batter s eye in dead centerfield, which stood over 410 feet from the plate. His next blast came against NC State when he pulled a shot through the trees aligning the rightfield wall towards a construction zone behind the park. Eramo s also launched one against Wichita State when he tattooed a three-run bomb in the 11th inning that sent fans scattering from a picnic area well beyond the fence in right center. 4 Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship

5 2011 Penn State Baseball HOLDING HIS OWN ON THE HILL In his second year as a member of the Penn State rotation, Steven Hill has exceeded all expectations. In his first nine starts, the sophomore standout has posted a 4-2 record with a 2.38 ERA and 38 strikeouts. He currently leads the Big Ten with 64.1 innings pitched and ranks second on the squad with a.242 batting-average-against. During his nine outings, he has posted eight quality starts, allowing three runs or fewer while tossing at least six innings. ROAD WARRIORS After winning just three road games during the 2010 season, Penn State has quickly established itself as a force away from Happy Valley. Through the first half of the 2011 campaign, the Nittany Lions more than tripled its total of road wins from last season. Going to some of the toughest places in the country, including NC State and Wichita State, the squad posted a 12-6 record in road games before opening its home slate. Its finest stretch came during the team s spring break tour of North Carolina and Virginia when PSU went 7-2 against the likes of NC State, Old Dominion, and Norfolk State. Additionally, Penn State also captured a pair of neutral site contests during the season-opening BIG EAST / Big Ten Challenge. DEEGAN S DEVASTATING SPEED Sean Deegan has certainly put all five of his tools on display this season, but his speed has been the real star of the show in the early going. He currently ranks second on the team with eight stolen bases on just nine attempts. He also ranks second in the Big Ten after legging out five triples during 32 games. Arguably his finest performance, however, came against Norfolk State on March 12 when he drove a shot off the rightfield fence and eventually circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. WALKLING KEEPS ON WINNING It s safe to say that few players have had a better start to their careers at Penn State than Dave Walkling. After transferring from Midland College, the junior right-hander has been nothing short of sensational during the early part of the 2011 season. Through his first six appearances, he has gone 5-0 with a team-best 1.71 ERA and 28 strikeouts. His five wins are currently tied for the fifth most in the nation, while his 12.0 strikeouts-per-nine rate is 15th best in the country. For his efforts, he was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on March 14 while solidifying his spot as one of the aces on the Penn State pitching staff. KENTUCKY (HOME RUN) DERBY After going through the first weekend of the season without hitting a home run, the Nittany Lions seemed to adjust to their new bats quite well against Eastern Kentucky. During the threegame series, Penn State went deep five times, highlighted by three blasts in the first game of Saturday s doubleheader. Overall, Ryan Clark clubbed two shots during the twinbill, while Sean Deegan and Jordan Steranka each added one. The following afternoon, Mario Eramo joined the club with a solo shot that ricocheted off the batter s eye in dead centerfield BIG TEN STANDINGS Big Ten Overall W L T Pct. W L T PCT. Michigan State Indiana Purdue Penn State Ohio State Illinois Northwestern Michigan Minnesota Iowa THIS WEEK IN THE BIG TEN 20 Eastern Illinois at Champaign...7:05 p.m. Morehead State at INDIANA...3:05 p.m. IOWA vs. Western Illinois...7:30 p.m. Eastern Michigan at MICHIGAN...6:05 p.m. MICHIGAN STATE vs. Central Michigan...6:35 p.m. South Dakota State at MINNESOTA...4:05 p.m. Bowling Green at OHIO STATE...6:35 p.m. Maryland at PENN STATE...6:05 p.m. PURDUE at UIC...8 p.m. 22 MICHIGAN STATE at ILLINOIS...7:05 p.m. MINNESOTA at INDIANA...3:05 p.m. MICHIGAN at IOWA...7:05 p.m. PURDUE at NORTHWESTERN...4 p.m. OHIO STATE at PENN STATE...6:35 p.m. 23 MICHIGAN STATE at ILLINOIS...4:05 p.m. MINNESOTA at INDIANA...1:05 p.m. MICHIGAN at IOWA...2:05 p.m. PURDUE at NORTHWESTERN...2 p.m. OHIO STATE at PENN STATE...2:05 p.m. 24 MICHIGAN STATE at ILLINOIS...2:05 p.m. MINNESOTA at INDIANA...1:05 p.m. MICHIGAN at IOWA...2:05 p.m. PURDUE at NORTHWESTERN...2 p.m. OHIO STATE at PENN STATE...1:05 p.m. 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 5

6 2011 Penn State Baseball PENN STATE AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS (Through April 10) CATEGORY RANK ACTUAL Batting Average (292 ranked) Scoring (292 ranked) Runs (292 ranked) Hits (292 ranked) Doubles Per Game (292 ranked) Doubles (292 ranked) Triples Per Game (292 ranked) Triples (292 ranked) Home Runs Per Game (292 ranked) Home Runs (292 ranked) Slugging Percentage (292 ranked) Stolen Bases Per Game (292 ranked) Stolen Bases (292 ranked) Base on Balls (292 ranked) Sacrifice Bunts (292 ranked) Hit by Pitch (292 ranked) Sacrifice Flies (292 ranked) Earned Run Average (292 ranked) Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (292 ranked) Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (292 ranked) Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (292 ranked) Fielding Percentage (292 ranked) Double Plays Per Game (292 ranked) Double Plays (292 ranked) 6 45 WL Pct (292 ranked) BIG PERFORMANCES IN BIG EAST/BIG TEN CHALLENGE During the third annual BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, Penn State opened the 2011 campaign with a 2-1 record and received several outstanding performances. Ryan Clark led the way, garnering first-team All-Tournament accolades after posting a.444 batting average with three runs scored and an RBI. He was also at the heart of both game-winning rallies during the tournament. In the season-opener against Seton Hall, he roped a pinch-hit triple and later scored to lead off a five-run, seventh-inning rally that eventually broke a 3-3 deadlock. The following afternoon, he ripped a lead-off single and scored against West Virginia to jumpstart a three-run rally in the eighth, which proved to be the difference in the game. While Clark starred on the offensive end, Steven Hill made his mark on the mound and earned honorable mention nods. In his first start of the season on Saturday, the sophomore righthander set career-highs with 7.2 innings and eight strikeouts during a dominating performance against the Mountaineers. Although he eventually earned a no-decision for his performance, Hill scattered just five hits and two runs without surrendering a walk. After he exited in the top of the eighth, the offense came to life and plated three runs in the bottom of the inning to capture a thrilling 3-2 victory. NEXEN HEROES On the Monday after the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, PSU battled the Nexen Heroes of Korea in an exhibition contest at Progress Energy Park in St. Petersburg, Fla. During the game, which kicked off the International Baseball Series, the Nittany Lions overcame an early three-run deficit to post an 8-7 victory over the Heroes. Michael Glantz led the way with a pair of hits, including one against former Major Leaguer Brandon Knight, while Jordan Steranka and Luis Montesinos both knocked in a pair of runs. Elliot Searer, who went 1-for-2, also scored twice. COMING BACK STRONG In 2010, Penn State fielded a relatively young team that went through some growing pains on the way to a 10th place finish in the Big Ten. It marked only the third time since joining the conference that the Nittany Lions finished last in the league. However, following each of those previous two seasons, the team rebounded in spectacular fashion. In 1993, Penn State went 5-23 but followed that up by more than doubling its win total and just missing out on the four-team playoffs in Nine years later, the 2002 squad went before bouncing back to post a record and earn the fourth seed in the playoffs. Bounce back seasons are not restricted to Happy Valley, however. During two of the previous three seasons, the team that finished last in the Big Ten made the playoffs the following year. Iowa, which went 4-19 in 2009, stormed back to finish in 2010 and place second in the tournament. Two years earlier, Indiana went 8-13 during league play before earning the sixth seed in the 2008 playoffs. 6 Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship

7 2011 Penn State Baseball PRAISING THE FRESHMEN Penn State s freshman class has received overwhelmingly strong reviews from national publications. Baseball America has been especially positive in its review of the newest members of the Nittany Lions. Penn State s class stands out in the Big Ten, wrote Baseball America s Aaron Fitt in his college recruiting notebook. The Nittany Lions reeled in a pair of interesting prospects from Massachusetts in strong-armed catcher Alex Farkes and projectable two-way talent T.J. Jann. Later, the magazine named Farkes the Big Ten s fourth-ranked newcomer in its 2011 College Baseball Preview. Overall, Farkes and Jann join 10 other freshmen on this year s squad. SCOUTING STERANKA Junior third baseman Jordan Steranka, who garnered third-team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman, enters his junior season as one of the most highly-regarded players in the conference. An imposing presence at the plate, he has consistently been one of the top hitters at Penn State. According to Perfect Game, the largest scouting service in the nation, Steranka was ranked as the 11th best prospect in the Big Ten. Over the summer, he was also rated the 18th best prospect in the Northwoods League. In the scouting report compiled by Perfect Game s Patrick Ebert, Steranka was listed as a big-bodied, athletic, LH-hitting 3B (that possesses) good power and patience at the plate. PLAYERS TO WATCH Prior to the season, senior ace Heath Johnson and junior infielders Joe DeBernardis and Jordan Steranka were all named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list. The three Lions joined an acclaimed group that included the top-30 players from around the conference. Johnson, who was selected by the New York Yankees in the 45th round of the 2010 draft, will be counted on to help anchor the starting rotation, while DeBernardis and Steranka will be called upon to man the corner infield positions and add potent bats to the heart of the batting order. A PAIR OF THIEVES Last year, Sean Deegan led the Nittany Lions with 24 stolen bases, which ranks as the secondhighest single-season total in program history. Fellow outfielder Blake Lynd, who redshirted last year after suffering an injury, swiped a team-high 22 bags in In PSU history, only six players have ever posted at least 20 stolen bases in a year. The 2011 season will mark the first time in program history that two members of that exclusive club have suited up on the same squad. Deegan and Lynd will look to provide a speedy spark at the top of the lineup to help kick start the Penn State offense. PENN STATE WIN-LOSS BREAKDOWN Total Conference 5-4 Non-Conf 16-8 Home 7-5 Away 12-6 Neutral 2-1 Day 20-9 Night 1-3 vs Left 7-3 vs Right Run games Run games Run games 10-2 Extra inns 2-0 Shutouts 2-1 Scoring 0-2 runs 0-3 Scoring 3-5 runs 8-4 Scoring 6-9 runs 8-5 Scoring 10+ runs 5-0 Opponent 0-2 runs 11-0 Opponent 3-5 runs 9-3 Opponent 6-9 runs 1-7 Opponent 10+ runs 0-2 Scored in 1st inning 12-7 Scores first 15-8 Opp. scores first 6-4 After 6 leading 17-2 After 6 trailing 3-7 After 6 tied 1-3 After 7 leading 15-1 After 7 trailing 3-6 After 7 tied 0-3 After 8 leading 15-0 After 8 trailing 1-9 After 8 tied 2-1 Hit 0 home runs 13-6 Hit 1 home run 5-5 Hit 2+ home runs 3-1 Opponent 0 home runs 20-7 Opponent 1 home run 1-5 Opponent 2+ HRs 0-0 Made 0 errors 7-3 Made 1 error 6-2 Made 2+ errors 8-7 Opp. made 0 errors 4-4 Opp. made 1 error 8-3 Opp. made 2+ errors 9-5 Out-hit opponent 15-3 Out-hit by opponent NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 7

8 2011 Penn State Baseball PENN STATE LEADERS OFFENSIVE Batting avg Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Montesinos, Luis Jacobs, Bobby Slugging pct Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Eramo, Mario Montesinos, Luis On base pct Steranka, Jordan Jacobs, Bobby DeBernardis, Joey Deegan, Sean Montesinos, Luis Runs scored Steranka, Jordan...33 Deegan, Sean...32 Montesinos, Luis...26 DeBernardis, Joey...24 Eramo, Mario...19 Hits Steranka, Jordan...50 Deegan, Sean...46 DeBernardis, Joey...41 Montesinos, Luis tied at...24 Runs batted in Steranka, Jordan...43 DeBernardis, Joey...24 Deegan, Sean...22 Montesinos, Luis...21 Eramo, Mario...20 Home runs Steranka, Jordan...6 Eramo, Mario...5 Deegan, Sean...5 Clark, Ryan...3 THE BATS ARE BACK Penn State returns almost its entire offense from 2010 that combined to hit.298 and score 348 runs. The Nittany Lions lost only four players who had an at bat last season and only two who had more than nine. The returning members of the team combined for 445 hits, 263 runs, and a.299 batting average last season. Nine of those players started at least 20 games and five hit at least.290. Among those returning for the 2011 season are Big Ten All-Rookie selections Steve Snyder and Elliot Searer as well as junior standouts Joey DeBernardis and Jordan Steranka. The veteran members of the 2011 squad also combined to swipe 54 of the team s 60 bases last year, led by Sean Deegan who stole 24 bags in just 27 attempts. A NATIONAL TEAM The Nittany Lions are a deep and diverse collection of talent representing all corners of the United States. The current squad has players from 10 different states as well as one Canadian province. In addition to the 14 Pennsylvania natives, there are 21 student-athletes from across the continent. The roster includes five Californians, three Texans, three Massachusetts residents, two New Jersey and Florida natives, and one player from Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, Ohio, and Virginia. Dave Walkling is the lone player born outside of the United States as the junior right-hander hails from British Columbia. HEATH RETURNS FOR HIS SENIOR SEASON Last season, Heath Johnson was selected by the New York Yankees in the 45th round of the Major League Baseball draft following his junior campaign. Deciding to return for his senior season, he became just the third upperclassman in the past 10 seasons to pass up the opportunity to sign a professional contract in order to continue his collegiate career. Prior to Johnson, Clayton Hamilton and Drew O Neil both chose to do the same thing. For both men, the decision paid off. After being selected in the 21st round in 2003, Hamilton improved his stock and was picked in the 17th round in Similarly, O Neil jumped from the eight round in 2007 to the fourth in Legendary Lion Nate Bump may be the perfect example of a player who benefited from an extra year in college. After being picked in the 23rd round in 1997, he pieced together a masterful senior season and was chosen in the first round in DUAL THREATS The Nittany Lion roster is chock-full of dual-threat competitors who are equally adept at the plate and on the mound. Senior Heath Johnson headlines the group after starting games as both a pitcher and outfielder last season. During the 2010 campaign, he made 11 appearances on the hill and started 22 games in the outfield. Not to be overlooked, Joey DeBernardis finished third on the team with a.354 batting average in 2010 while also picking up a win during his time as a pitcher. Steve Snyder, who earned third-team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman, finished his first season with a.355 batting average and also struck out two during his one inning on the mound. Freshman TJ Jann looks to add to Penn State s stable of dual-threat athletes after being lauded for his performance as a pitcher and infielder during his high school career. 8 Penn State Baseball GoPSUSports.com Twitter.com/PSUBaseball 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances 5 College World Series Appearances 1 Big Ten Championship

9 Overall Statistics for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) (All games Sorted by Batting avg) Record: Home: 7-5 Away: 12-6 Neutral: 2-1 Big Ten: 5-4 Player avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Montesinos, Luis Jacobs, Bobby Searer, Elliot Eramo, Mario Escudero, Gaston Lynd, Blake Farkes, Alex Clark, Ryan Glantz, Michael Ell, Zach August, Sam Totals Opponents LOB - Team (262), Opp (265). DPs turned - Team (45), Opp (29). TPs turned - Team (1). IBB - Team (1), Steranka 1, Opp (2). Picked off - Searer 3, Lynd 2, Jacobs 1, Deegan 1, Clark 1, Farkes 1, Steranka 1. (All games Sorted by Earned run avg) Player era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr b/avg wp hp bk sfa sha Hill, Steven / Walter, John / Johnson, Heath / Jann, TJ / Boylston, Geoff / Walkling, Dave / Ignas, Ryan / Pierce, Mike / Franklin, Mike / Alfreno, Jesse / Welsh, Greg / Herring, Neal / Dunn, Tim / Dixon, Evan / Dixon, Scott / Montesinos, Luis / Totals / Opponents / PB - Team (5), Jacobs 4, Farkes 1, Opp (6). Pickoffs - Team (1), Hill 1, Opp (10). SBA/ATT - Jacobs (22-29), Johnson, H. (10-12), Farkes (7-10), Walter (4-8), Dixon,E (4-4), Franklin (2-3), Hill (2-3), Welsh (1-2), Pierce (2-2), Ignas (0-1), Walkling (1-1), Dunn (1-1), Jann (0-1), Alfreno (1-1), Herring (1-1).

10 Overall Statistics for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) (All games Sorted by Fielding pct) Player c po a e fld% dp sba csb sba% pb ci Clark, Ryan Johnson, Heath Ell, Zach Ignas, Ryan Escudero, Gaston Welsh, Greg Franklin, Mike Alfreno, Jesse Boylston, Geoff Dixon, Scott DeBernardis, Joey Farkes, Alex Jacobs, Bobby Montesinos, Luis Deegan, Sean Searer, Elliot Lynd, Blake Walter, John Glantz, Michael Hill, Steven Steranka, Jordan Herring, Neal Eramo, Mario Dixon, Evan Pierce, Mike August, Sam Walkling, Dave Dunn, Tim Jann, TJ Totals Opponents Hitting minimums - 1 Games 3.0 TPA/Game Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1.0 IP/Game

11 Game Results for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) Date Opponent Score Inns Overall Big Ten Pitcher of record Attend Time Feb 18, 2011 vs Seton Hall W Ignas (W 1-0) 450 3:18 Feb 19, 2011 vs West Virginia W Walkling (W 1-0) 175 2:12 Feb 20, 2011 vs Notre Dame L Walter (L 0-1) 231 2:56 Feb 26, 2011 at Eastern Kentucky-1 W Walkling (W 2-0) 184 2:25 Feb 26, 2011 at Eastern Kentucky-2 L Ignas (L 1-1) 184 1:42 Feb 27, 2011 at Eastern Kentucky L Walter (L 0-2) 171 2:36 Mar 04, 2011 at North Carolina State W Walkling (W 3-0) 734 2:31 Mar 05, 2011 at North Carolina State-1 L Hill (L 0-1) :21 Mar 05, 2011 at North Carolina State-2 W Walter (W 1-2) :24 Mar 08, 2011 at Old Dominion W 6-1 (11) Ignas (W 2-1) 116 3:00 Mar 09, 2011 at Old Dominion W Franklin (W 1-0) 74 2:33 Mar 12, 2011 at Norfolk State-1 W Welsh (W 1-0) 115 2:03 Mar 12, 2011 at Norfolk State-2 W Hill (W 1-1) 115 1:57 Mar 13, 2011 at Norfolk State-1 L Walter (L 1-3) 144 1:34 Mar 13, 2011 at Norfolk State-2 W Walkling (W 4-0) 144 1:48 Mar 18, 2011 at Wichita State L Johnson, H. (L 0-1) :24 Mar 19, 2011 at Wichita State W Hill (W 2-1) :07 Mar 20, 2011 at Wichita State W 9-4 (11) Walkling (W 5-0) :58 Mar 25, 2011 LE MOYNE L Alfreno (L 0-1) 237 2:46 Mar 26, 2011 LE MOYNE W Hill (W 3-1) 399 2:10 Mar 27, 2011 LE MOYNE W Walter (W 2-3) 427 2:39 Mar 27, 2011 ALBANY W Boylston (W 1-0) 427 2:34 * Apr 01, 2011 ILLINOIS L Ignas (L 2-2) 236 2:13 * Apr 02, 2011 ILLINOIS W Walter (W 3-3) 521 1:45 * Apr 03, 2011 ILLINOIS W Johnson, H. (W 1-1) 468 2:23 Apr 05, 2011 KENT STATE L Dixon,S (L 0-1) 261 2:22 * Apr 09, 2011 at Northwestern-1 W Hill (W 4-1) 173 2:19 * Apr 09, 2011 at Northwestern-2 W Walter (W 4-3) 173 2:37 * Apr 10, 2011 at Northwestern L Ignas (L 2-3) 245 2:52 Apr 13, 2011 PITTSBURGH W Franklin (W 2-0) 317 2:39 * Apr 15, 2011 PURDUE L Hill (L 4-2) :25 * Apr 17, 2011 PURDUE-1 W Johnson, H. (W 2-1) 623 2:37 * Apr 17, 2011 PURDUE-2 L Welsh (L 1-1) 623 2:50 () extra inning game

12 Games Summary for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) Score by innings EX Total Penn State Opponents Record when... Overall Conference 5-4 Non-Conference 16-8 Home games 7-5 Away games 12-6 Neutral site 2-1 Day games 20-9 Night games 1-3 vs Left starter 7-3 vs Right starter Run games Run games Run games 10-2 Extra innings 2-0 Shutouts 2-1 Scoring 0-2 runs runs runs runs 5-0 Opponent 0-2 runs runs runs runs 0-2 Scored in 1st inning 12-7 Opp. scored in 1st 5-3 Scores first 15-8 Opp. scores first 6-4 After 6 leading trailing tied 1-3 After 7 leading trailing tied 0-3 After 8 leading trailing tied 2-1 Hit 0 home runs home run home runs 3-1 Opponent 0 home runs home run HRs 0-0 Made 0 errors error errors 8-7 Opp. made 0 errors error errors 9-5 Out-hit opponent 15-3 Out-hit by opponent 4-8 Hits are tied 2-1 Record when team scores: Runs W-L Record when opponent scores: Runs W-L Record when leading after: Inn W-L Record when trailing after: Inn W-L Record when tied after: Inn W-L Current losing streak: 1 Longest winning streak: 5 Longest losing streak: 2 Home attendance : 5847 ( 12 dates avg = 487 ) Away attendance : ( 21 dates avg = 714 ) Total attendance: ( 33 dates avg = 632 )

13 Batting Leaders for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) Hitting minimums - 1 Games 3.0 TPA/Game Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1.0 IP/Game Batting avg 1. Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Montesinos, Luis Jacobs, Bobby. 282 Runs scored 1. Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean Montesinos, Luis DeBernardis, Joey Eramo, Mario 19 Doubles 1. DeBernardis, Joey Deegan, Sean Steranka, Jordan tied at... 5 Slugging pct 1. Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Eramo, Mario Montesinos, Luis. 341 Hits 1. Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Montesinos, Luis tied at Triples 1. Deegan, Sean 5 2. Steranka, Jordan 3 3. Searer, Elliot tied at.. 1 On base pct 1. Steranka, Jordan Jacobs, Bobby DeBernardis, Joey Deegan, Sean Montesinos, Luis. 369 Runs batted in 1. Steranka, Jordan DeBernardis, Joey Deegan, Sean Montesinos, Luis Eramo, Mario 20 Home runs 1. Steranka, Jordan 6 2. Eramo, Mario 5 Deegan, Sean 5 4. Clark, Ryan 3 Total bases 1. Steranka, Jordan Deegan, Sean DeBernardis, Joey Montesinos, Luis Eramo, Mario 42 Sac bunts 1. Searer, Elliot 7 2. Montesinos, Luis 3 3. Lynd, Blake 2 4. Deegan, Sean 1 Glantz, Michael 1 Caught stealing 1. Searer, Elliot 3 2. Clark, Ryan tied at... 1 Strikeouts 1. Eramo, Mario Deegan, Sean Clark, Ryan Montesinos, Luis Glantz, Michael 27 At bats 1. Deegan, Sean Steranka, Jordan Montesinos, Luis DeBernardis, Joey Eramo, Mario 114 Games as sub 1. Ell, Zach tied at.. 3 Walks 1. Eramo, Mario DeBernardis, Joey Deegan, Sean 13 Steranka, Jordan 13 Lynd, Blake 13 Sac flies 1. Eramo, Mario 2 DeBernardis, Joey 2 3. Deegan, Sean 1 Steranka, Jordan 1 Searer, Elliot 1 Steal attempts 1. Deegan, Sean 9 Lynd, Blake 9 3. Eramo, Mario 6 4. Steranka, Jordan 5 Searer, Elliot 5 Grounded into DP 1. DeBernardis, Joey 6 2. Montesinos, Luis 4 Steranka, Jordan tied at... 2 Games played 1. DeBernardis, Joey 33 Steranka, Jordan 33 Montesinos, Luis tied at Hit by pitch 1. Jacobs, Bobby 6 2. Montesinos, Luis 5 3. Farkes, Alex 4 4. Eramo, Mario 3 DeBernardis, Joey 3 Stolen bases 1. Lynd, Blake 9 2. Deegan, Sean 8 3. Eramo, Mario 5 4. Steranka, Jordan tied at... 2 Stolen base pct 1. Montesinos, Luis Deegan, Sean Eramo, Mario Steranka, Jordan DeBernardis, Joey. 667 Total plate appearances 1. Deegan, Sean Steranka, Jordan 152 Montesinos, Luis DeBernardis, Joey Eramo, Mario 140 Game starts 1. Steranka, Jordan 33 DeBernardis, Joey 33 Montesinos, Luis tied at... 32

14 Pitching Leaders for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) Hitting minimums - 1 Games 3.0 TPA/Game Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1.0 IP/Game Earned run avg 1. Hill, Steven Walter, John Johnson, Heath Opposing bat avg 1. Walter, John Hill, Steven Johnson, Heath. 254 Won-loss pct 1. Hill, Steven. 667 Johnson, Heath Walter, John. 571 Wins 1. Walkling, Dave 5 2. Hill, Steven 4 Walter, John tied at... 2 Losses 1. Ignas, Ryan 3 Walter, John 3 3. Hill, Steven tied at... 1 Saves 1. Ignas, Ryan 5 Innings pitched 1. Hill, Steven Walter, John Johnson, Heath Games started 1. Walter, John 9 Hill, Steven 9 3. Johnson, Heath 8 4. Franklin, Mike tied at... 2 Wild pitches 1. Johnson, Heath 9 2. Boylston, Geoff 2 Welsh, Greg tied at... 1 Intentional BB allowed 1. Ignas, Ryan 1 Alfreno, Jesse 1 Sac bunts allowed 1. Walter, John 7 2. Ignas, Ryan 3 Franklin, Mike 3 Johnson, Heath tied at... 2 Runs allowed 1. Hill, Steven 20 Johnson, Heath Walter, John 21 Batters struck out 1. Hill, Steven Walter, John Walkling, Dave Johnson, Heath Welsh, Greg 14 Games finished 1. Ignas, Ryan Herring, Neal 3 Boylston, Geoff tied at... 2 Balks 1. Walter, John 1 Runners picked off 1. Hill, Steven 1 Sac flies allowed 1. Alfreno, Jesse 2 Dixon, Evan 2 3. Pierce, Mike 1 Hill, Steven 1 Herring, Neal 1 Earned runs allowed 1. Walter, John Hill, Steven Johnson, Heath 19 Appearances 1. Ignas, Ryan Welsh, Greg Johnson, Heath 9 Hill, Steven 9 Walter, John 9 Games in relief 1. Ignas, Ryan Welsh, Greg Boylston, Geoff 8 4. Alfreno, Jesse 7 5. Herring, Neal 6 Hit batters 1. Johnson, Heath Hill, Steven 6 3. Walter, John 5 4. Ignas, Ryan 3 Welsh, Greg 3 Batters SO out looking 1. Hill, Steven Walkling, Dave Walter, John Johnson, Heath tied at.. 4 Hits allowed 1. Johnson, Heath Walter, John Hill, Steven 60 Walks allowed 1. Hill, Steven 7 2. Johnson, Heath Walter, John 30 Doubles allowed 1. Johnson, Heath 3 2. Walter, John 6 3. Hill, Steven 11 Triples allowed 1. Johnson, Heath 0 2. Hill, Steven 2 Walter, John 2 Home runs allowed 1. Walter, John 0 Johnson, Heath 0 3. Hill, Steven 3

15 Fielding Leaders for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) Hitting minimums - 1 Games Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1.0 IP/Game Fielding pct 1. Clark, Ryan Ell, Zach Escudero, Gaston DeBernardis, Joey Farkes, Alex. 982 Assists 1. Searer, Elliot Glantz, Michael Steranka, Jordan Montesinos, Luis Jacobs, Bobby 17 Stolen bases against 1. Jacobs, Bobby Johnson, Heath Farkes, Alex 7 4. Walter, John 4 Dixon, Evan 4 Passed balls 1. Jacobs, Bobby 4 2. Farkes, Alex 1 Chances 1. DeBernardis, Joey Searer, Elliot Jacobs, Bobby Glantz, Michael Montesinos, Luis 109 Errors 1. Steranka, Jordan Glantz, Michael Searer, Elliot 7 4. DeBernardis, Joey tied at... 3 Caught stealing by 1. Jacobs, Bobby 7 2. Walter, John 4 3. Farkes, Alex 3 4. Johnson, Heath tied at 1 Catchers interference Putouts 1. DeBernardis, Joey Jacobs, Bobby Montesinos, Luis Deegan, Sean Searer, Elliot 59 Fielding double plays 1. DeBernardis, Joey Searer, Elliot Glantz, Michael Montesinos, Luis Steranka, Jordan 11 Steal attempts against 1. Jacobs, Bobby Johnson, Heath Farkes, Alex Walter, John 8 5. Dixon, Evan 4

16 Team Game-by-Game for Penn State (as of Apr 20, 2011) Batting Date Opponent ab r h rbi 2b 3b hr bb ibb sb cs hbp sac sf gdp k po a e avg Feb 18 vs Seton Hall Feb 19 vs West Virginia Feb 20 vs Notre Dame Feb 26 at Eastern Kentucky Feb 26 at Eastern Kentucky Feb 27 at Eastern Kentucky Mar 04 at North Carolina State Mar 05 at North Carolina State Mar 05 at North Carolina State Mar 08 at Old Dominion Mar 09 at Old Dominion Mar 12 at Norfolk State Mar 12 at Norfolk State Mar 13 at Norfolk State Mar 13 at Norfolk State Mar 18 at Wichita State Mar 19 at Wichita State Mar 20 at Wichita State Mar 25 LE MOYNE Mar 26 LE MOYNE Mar 27 LE MOYNE Mar 27 ALBANY *Apr 01 ILLINOIS *Apr 02 ILLINOIS *Apr 03 ILLINOIS Apr 05 KENT STATE *Apr 09 at Northwestern *Apr 09 at Northwestern *Apr 10 at Northwestern Apr 13 PITTSBURGH *Apr 15 PURDUE *Apr 17 PURDUE *Apr 17 PURDUE Totals