Sluggers have shot at top spot

Baseball

The Penn State baseball team has won 11 of its last 13 games and is approaching the .500 mark after starting the season 3-14-1. The Lions are a game and a half out of first place in the Big Ten. Michigan currently reigns in the top spot, with a league record of 12-4 and a league-best team ERA of 2.82.

This weekend their paths will finally cross to prove who is most deserving of the No. 1 slot.

The Lions take on the Wolverines in a doubleheader tomorrow and Sunday in the Lions' last road trip of the season. And although they realize that this has all the makings of their toughest series yet, Lion coach Joe Hindelang refuses to let that be his players' focus.

"In one sense it's big, some people would say, because they're in first place and we're a game and a half out," Hindelang said. "But for me, we're in the top four, a game and a half out, after four series in the Big Ten. So this is the fifth one."

And even though Hindelang is trying hard to look at this as just another series, his players can't seem to. Centerfielder Troy Strauser said the team is aware of the importance of these games.

"We know it's a big series. The past couple of years we've had trouble with them," Strauser said. "They're going to know what they're doing. They're going to be on their toes and we'll have to be ready."

And according to Lion co-captain Jared Sadlowski, the Lions are ready -- at least mentally. Sadlowski stressed that the Lions have taken on a different attitude this season. And this attitude does not consider losing an option.

"Every inning of every game we believe that we're going to do it," Sadlowski said. "Everybody wants to do whatever they can to get on base and score a run, and the individual stuff goes out the window. We're scratching and crawling for everything we get."

Sadlowski added that the Lions are going to have to walk on to the field and do the things that they've been doing in their other games in order to win. This may be especially hard because the series is in Wolverine territory, where Michigan is 6-1. But Sadlowski recognized this potential problem and confidently stated that the Lions believe they will sweep Michigan.

"We control our own destiny now," Sadlowski said. "We know that."

-- by Kate Blaschak

Men's Lacrosse

The Penn State-Rutgers lacrosse game has historically been a tooth and nail struggle, no matter what kind of season each team is having.

"How many games you've won or lost means nothing in this game," Rutgers coach Tom Hayes said. "It's always a great game and will be a real barn burner."

To put into perspective just how tough this game is, just look at the Lions' record against Rutgers. The Lions have only beaten the Scarlet Knights eight times in the two teams' previous 48 meetings. Last season the Lions escaped from the Scarlet Knights' home turf in New Brunswick, N.J., with a 15-14 win.

Currently the Lions are reeling from two consecutive losses, one week ago to Hobart and another Wednesday to Bucknell. These losses have effectively killed any hopes the Lions had for an NCAA tournament berth.

"We are in a shaky emotional state right now," he said. "We need to have fun and be confident and loose this weekend, like Bucknell was against us."

Thiel also does not want his team to focus on just one Rutgers player. He said the Scarlet Knights have a team full of good players and if his team tries to stop just one, they could get burned by another.

And there are several quality players on the Rutgers roster. Players like attackman Craig Buckley, who leads the team with 18 goals, or Brody Bush, who is the team's points leader with 23 (9 goals and 14 assists). And just behind them is Matt Elzer, who has 14 goals and five assists. In the cage Mike Zaonetti has faced 318 shots this season and turned away 155 of them for a 10.29 goals against average.

Hayes said the biggest thing for his team to work on is its play on the road. Having lost three out of their four road games the relatively young Scarlet Knights are still trying to improve on this.

"We are a very young team," he said. "We are still struggling with how to play on the road and our mental preparation will be a key this weekend."

The Lions are led by attackman Greg Jackson, who leads the team in goals (20), assists (15) and points (35). Behind him are Chris Killoren, who has 18 goals this season, and Jason Rickel, who has 17 goals.

-- by Don Wagner

Men's Tennis

But with only two matches standing in the way of the postseason, the Lions (14-6, 5-3 Big Ten) find themselves in a horse race for the seeding of their lives. Penn State is currently in a fourth-place tie with Purdue (14-6, 5-3) and Northwestern (15-5, 5-3). Ahead of the Lions are conference powerhouses Michigan (13-7, 8-1), Minnesota (10-10, 8-2) and Illinois (10-8, 6-2).

This weekend the jockeying will heat up when Purdue and Illinois gallop in to scrap with the Lions.

The Boilermakers will tangle with the Lions at 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Penn State Tennis Center. Purdue is headlined by freshman Chris James, who has strung together a 24-15 record while holding down the No. 1 singles position.

James' supporting cast is young as well. Another freshman, Jamie Gordon, has racked up a 26-12 record at No. 2 singles. Derek Myers at No. 3 singles makes it three freshmen in the top three spots. Junior Greg Wessenberg, sophomore Steve Brizendine and junior Bryan Harris fill out the No. 4, 5, and 6 spots respectively.

Freshman Mike Griesser said a big factor this weekend will be the return of sophomore Dale Cathell from torn knee cartilage.

"That'll be a big boost to have him for doubles," Griesser said. "It'll be a big addition."

The Lions need to take advantage of Cathell's return for the bout with Illinois at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Illini will look to build on a 5-2 pounding of Northwestern last Sunday. No. 1 single Jeremy Sutter is the only senior among the starting six for Illinois. Junior Jerry Turek has tallied a 29-11 record at No. 2 singles, while sophomore Brady Blain is 24-17 at No. 3.

"We're going up against two of the premier teams in the conference," Lion coach Jan Bortner said of Penn State's opponents this weekend. "The nice thing about being in this Big Ten conference is every weekend there is a different motivation, a different goal."

What is the goal for this weekend?

"I think the thing you want to try to do as a team -- momentum," Bortner said. "You want some momentum, some confidence. That's real important."

The Lions will find out just how important it is this weekend.

-- by Jordan Hyman