| Baseball |
by: Matt Harris
2011 Baseball Preview
The Penn State Abington baseball team is ready to improve in 2011 with an experienced team that has some new talent as well. In their first season in the NEAC, 3rd year head coach Joe Pavlow led the Nittany Lions to a 15-22 overall record and a 6-8 record in the NEAC, where they received a #3 seed in the NEAC playoffs. The 2011 roster returns 3 seniors, 1 junior, and 8 sophomores. The team welcomes 15 new freshmen to the program as they look to contribute in their rookie season.
The Nittany Lions return a strong core of players in 2011, highlighted by sophomore NEAC Pitcher of the Year, Dan Hill (Cherry Hill, NJ/ Cherry Hill West). Hill was also named a first team NEAC All-Conference player at first base. He posted a team high 4 home runs and .529 slugging % to go along with a .345 avg. and 27 RBIs last season. Sophomore Michael Corrigan (Warminster, PA/ William Tennent) also returns after batting .308 last year with a team high 23 walks.
The pitching staff returns their ace Hill. Hill looks to build on last year where he posted a 5-3 record, with a 3.83 ERA and 67 strikeouts. Sophomore Eric Galos (Brewster) appeared in a team high 15 games last year while sophomore Robert Morak (Abington) appeared in 11 games as both look to use that experience to improve this season. The Nittany Lions have an additional seven freshmen listed as pitchers on the roster, and they will be ready if called upon.
The Nittany Lions face a tough schedule this season as they open on the road for 9 straight games. After 2 games in New Jersey against Richard Stockton and Rutgers-Newark, the team will travel to Myrtle Beach for 4 games, 2 games in North Carolina and a game in Virginia before returning home. After the long road trip, they will finally have their home opener, a double header, on March 12 against Lancaster Bible. The NEAC Conference play starts on May 2, 2011 when the Nittany Lions host Cazenovia College for a doubleheader.
