Penn State Nittany Lions baseball

Last updated
Penn State Nittany Lions baseball
Baseball current event.svg 2024 Penn State Nittany Lions baseball team
Penn State wordmark.svg
University Pennsylvania State University
Athletic directorPatrick Kraft
Head coach Mike Gambino (1st season)
Conference Big Ten
Location University Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Home stadium Medlar Field at Lubrano Park
(Capacity: 5,570)
Nickname Nittany Lions
ColorsBlue and white [1]
   
College World Series runner-up
1957
College World Series appearances
1952, 1957, 1959, 1963, 1973
NCAA regional champions
2000
NCAA Tournament appearances
1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 2000
Regular season conference champions
1996

The Penn State Nittany Lions baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate athletic team of the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States. The team competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I and are members of the Big Ten Conference.

Contents

History

Penn State has played baseball continuously since 1893.[ citation needed ] The Nittany Lions currently play their home games at 5,570-seat Medlar Field, a facility that opened in 2006 and that they share with the State College Spikes of the MLB Draft League.

After spending most of their history as an Independent, the Nittany Lions joined the Atlantic 10 Conference ahead of the 1983 season. In 1989, Penn State announced plans to join the Big Ten Conference for all sports, beginning baseball play in the Big Ten in 1992. [2] Since joining the conference, Penn State won the 1996 regular season title and has advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game twice, most recently in 2024.

Throughout its history, Penn State has played in 17 NCAA baseball tournaments, advancing to the College World Series 5 times, and finishing as runners-up to California in 1957. Penn State's most recent College World Series appearance came in 1973 while its most recent NCAA tournament berth came in 2000, when the Nittany Lions won the Rutgers-hosted Montclair Regional before falling to Texas in the Austin Super Regional.

The Nittany Lions have been coached by Mike Gambino since the 2024 season.

Penn State in the NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Division I baseball tournament started in 1947. The Nittany Lions have played in 17 tournaments and advanced to the College World Series in 1952, 1957, 1959, 1963, and 1973, finishing as the runners-up to California in 1957.

YearRecordPctNotes
1952 2–2.500College World Series, 3rd place
1955 0-1.000Lost in District 2 Semifinals
1956 0-1.000Lost in District 2 Semifinals
1957 5–2.714 College World Series, 2nd place
1958 0–1.000Lost in District 2 Semifinals
1959 4–2.667 College World Series, 3rd place
1962 0–1.000Lost in District 2 Semifinals
1963 3–2.600 College World Series, 5th place
1967 1–2.333 District 2 Semifinals
1970 1-2.333 District 2 Semifinals
1971 1-2.333 District 2 Semifinals
1972 2–2.500 District 2 Finals
1973 3–2.600 College World Series, 7th place
1974 0-2.000 District 2 Semifinals
1975 1–2.333 Mideast Regional
1976 0–2.000 Northeast Regional
2000 4–3.571 Austin Super Regional
TOTALS
27–31.466

College World Series

Penn State baseball has appeared in the College World Series five times. Its best result was runner-up in 1957. [3] [4]

Championship Results

College World Series [3] [4]

YearRank
19524
19572
19594
19636
19738

Super Regionals [4]

YearRank
20002

Regionals [4]

YearRank
20001
19765
19753
19754
19744
19731
19722
19713
19703
19673
19631
19623
19591
19583
19571
19563
19553

All-Time Scores

[3]

Awards

Jace Diesing Sr. Most Outstanding Player Award

[3]

Season by Season Result

SeasonLeagueConferenceHead CoachConference ResultsRegular SeasonConference ResultsNCAA Tournament
WinsLossesTiesWinsLossesTies
Penn State Nittany Lions
1952NCAAIndependentJoe Bedenk1540 CWS, 3rd place
1955NCAAIndependent District 2 Semifinals
1956NCAAIndependent District 2 Semifinals
1957NCAAIndependent0001900 District 2 Champions

CWS, 2nd place

1958NCAAIndependent District 2 Semifinals
1959NCAAIndependent1540 District 2 Champions

CWS, 3rd place

1962NCAAIndependent District 2 Semifinals
1963NCAAIndependentChuck Medlar1340 District 2 Champions

CWS, 5th place

1965NCAAIndependent000000
1966NCAAIndependent0001580
1967NCAAIndependent0001681 District 2 Semifinals
1968NCAAIndependent00010120
1969NCAAIndependent0001480
1970NCAAIndependent0001780 District 2 Semifinals
1971NCAAIndependent0001560 District 2 Semifinals
1972NCAAIndependent0001851 District 2 Finals
1973NCAAIndependent0001970 District 2 Champions

CWS, 7th place

1974NCAAIndependent0001861 District 2 Semifinals
1975NCAAIndependent0002290 Mideast Regional
1976NCAAIndependent0001880 Northeast Regional
1977NCAAIndependent0001860
1978NCAAIndependent0001762
1979NCAA Eastern 8 00020505 Seed, 2-1
1980NCAAIndependent0001770
1981NCAAIndependent00017120
1982NCAAIndependentShorty Stoner00017110
1983NCAA Atlantic 10 910162301 Seed West Division, 0-2, Lost to Temple in Title Game
1984NCAA Atlantic 10 950241702 Seed West Division, 1-2, Lost to Temple in Lower Final
1985NCAA Atlantic 10 1140321402 Seed West Division, 1-2, Lost to West Virginia in Lower Final
1986NCAA Atlantic 10 870291903 Seed West Division (Did not Qualify)
1987NCAA Atlantic 10 1260291902 Seed West Division, 0-2, Lost to UMass in Lower Round 1
1988NCAA Atlantic 10 980242603 Seed West Division (Did not Qualify)
1989NCAA Atlantic 10 1240231912 Seed West Division, 0-2, Lost to GWU in Lower Round 1
1990NCAA Atlantic 10 6100222304 Seed West Division (Did not Qualify)
1991NCAA Atlantic 10 Joe Hindelang1460252001 Seed West Division, 1-2, Lost to Rutgers in Lower Final
1992NCAA Big Ten 11170242408 Seed (Did not Qualify)
1993NCAA Big Ten 52301528010 Seed (Did not Qualify)
1994NCAA Big Ten 12150252406 Seed (Did not Qualify)
1995NCAA Big Ten 13130252905 Seed (Did not Qualify)
1996NCAA Big Ten 1980322401 Seed, 1-2, Eliminated by Illinois in Lower Final
1997NCAA Big Ten 12140292406 Seed (Did not Qualify)
1998NCAA Big Ten 15110282404 Seed, 1-2, Eliminated by Illinois in Lower Final
1999NCAA Big Ten 12150322306 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2000NCAA Big Ten 1890411702 Seed, 3-2, Eliminated by Illinois in Final Montclair Regional Champions

Austin Super Regional

2001NCAA Big Ten 15110292904 Seed, 1-2, Eliminated by Michigan in Third Round
2002NCAA Big Ten 111902330010 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2003NCAA Big Ten 17150292804 Seed, 3-2, Eliminated by Ohio State in Lower Final
2004NCAA Big Ten 17150282906 Seed, 0-2, Eliminated by Michigan State in Lower Round 1
2005NCAA Big Ten Robbie Wine13190282708 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2006NCAA Big Ten 13190263008 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2007NCAA Big Ten 20100312603 Seed, 3-2, Eliminated by Minnesota in Lower Final
2008NCAA Big Ten 17150273103 Seed, 1-2, Eliminated by Indiana in Lower Round 3
2009NCAA Big Ten 8160252608 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2010NCAA Big Ten 91502230010 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2011NCAA Big Ten 12120322206 Seed, 0-2, Eliminated by Minnesota in Lower Round 1
2012NCAA Big Ten 1590292703 Seed, 0-2, Eliminated by Nebraska in Lower Round 1
2013NCAA Big Ten 42001436010 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2014NCAA Big Ten Rob Cooper51801832010 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2015NCAA Big Ten 61601830012 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2016NCAA Big Ten 121202827010 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2017NCAA Big Ten 42001837013 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2018NCAA Big Ten 32101534013 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2019NCAA Big Ten 41802227013 Seed (Did not Qualify)
2020NCAA Big Ten 0001050Was not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021NCAA Big Ten 1824018240Was not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022NCAA Big Ten 26290111306 Seed, 1-2, Eliminated by Rutgers in Second Round
2023NCAA Big Ten 71602525012 Seed, (Did not Qualify)
2024NCAA Big Ten Mike Gambino 12120292407 Seed, 3-1, Lost to Nebraska in Big Ten Championship game
Total4755570138011906Final Standings, Tournament Record, Final Game

Shutouts

[3]

Notable alumni

To date Penn State has had 89 players drafted and has been the alma mater to 24 MLB Players

Statistical Leaders

Batting [5]

Games Played

At Bats

Runs Scored

Hits

Doubles

Triples

Homeruns

Runs Batted In (RBI)

Stolen Bases

Caught Stealing

Walks

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References

  1. "Design Essentials". Brand.PSU.edu. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  2. Jr, Robert Mcg Thomas (1989-12-16). "Penn State To Join Big Ten Conference". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "GENERAL CWS RECORDS" (PDF). Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Penn State University College World Series History". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. "Penn State Nittany Lions - Baseball History - The Baseball Cube". TheBaseballCube.com. Retrieved 2023-02-01.