For the third consecutive weekend, the Nittany Lions baseball team is looking to climb above .500 in the Big Ten standings.
After a midweek win against Bucknell last week, the locker room was subdued, and head coach Robbie Wine said his team was already focused on Purdue. Five days later, the Lions lost their second of three games to the Boilermakers.
Just one game has passed since the disheartening series loss -- an 8-3 win Wednesday against Mount St. Mary's -- but the squad again has more to look forward to this weekend.
Freshman slugger Jordan Steranaka's batting average has climbed all season, and after a 3-4, 3 RBI performance Wednesday, the third baseman is now hitting .406 on the year. Steranka has pieced together a 17-game hitting streak in the process.
Center fielder Blake Lynd was the catalyst to the Lions offense in Wednesday's win. Lynd went 3-3, stole four bases, was walked twice, and scored four runs on the night. The center fielder now is in the midst of his second 10-game hitting streak this season.
Penn State ace T.J. Macy will get another shot to record a win this weekend. Last Friday against the Boilermakers, Macy set the high mark in strikeouts (12) for a Penn State pitcher since 2005, but recorded a no-decision.
And Drew Palen, after a prolonged absence to work on mechanics, pitched two hitless innings against The Mount Wednesday, drawing praise from Wine and fellow pitcher Paul Cianciolo after the performance.
