Penn State Baseball Club

PSBC Tops Drexel

RHP Kyle Gilbert

The Penn State Baseball Club took game one of the North Atlantic Regional Tournament Friday afternoon by a score of 3-2 on the arm of Kyle Gilbert. Kyle struck out lots of Drexelites and was basically awesome. His outstanding performance couldn't have come at a better time as the offense stranded a ton of baserunners today. The team will look to improve upon their hitting with runners in scoring position tomorrow as they square off against UMass in Oneonta, NY. A victory tomorrow will earn the team a spot in the championship game scheduled to be held on Sunday.

Team Takes 2 of 3 from Pitt, Clinches Conference Title

Joshua Leonidas Karahalis

The PSBC took two of three games from the Pittsburgh Club Baseball team this weekend to clinch yet another conference title. The team won Saturday afternoon by a score of 5-3 behind a strong pitching performance by Kyle Gilbert with the help of some timely hitting. The second game slated for Saturday was pushed back to Sunday due to poor field conditions brought on by consistently persistent rainfall during the first game. A long Sunday of baseball began at 9AM at the Trees complex on Pittsburgh's campus with a 7-1 loss to Pitt; then the Lions turned things around. Game two began around 11:15AM after the PSBC's slated starter, Greg Piehler, suffered some sort of muscular incident, giving PSBC rookie Joshua Leonidas Karahalis a spot start. Karahalis didn't disappoint as he went the distance without giving up an earned run. The PSBC eventually took home the victory after scoring six runs in the top of the ninth inning. This game marked the second time this season the PSBC has gone into extra innings against Pittsburgh and walked away with the victory. This weekend's victories placed the PSBC in a tie for first place with Pitt for the conference title; however, according to section 3.01.6 in the NCBA rulebook, the PSBC's runs allowed per conference game avg. of 2.12 trumps Pitt's avg. of 3.33. This means the PSBC is once again top dog in the conference and has earned a trip to the North Atlantic Regionals held in May. For anyone curious about the ruling specifics, the details for section three can be found below. Section 3 states the method for determining the conference champion in case of a tie:

"3.01.3 The first criterion for determining conference standing is conference-winning percentage.
3.01.4 The first tiebreaker for determining conference standing is conference game head to head results.
3.01.5 The next tiebreaker for determining conference standing is conference game results versus the next best conference team.
3.01.6 The next tiebreaker for determining conference standing is the lower average of runs allowed per conference game played excluding forfeits.
3.01.7 The final tiebreaker for determining conference standing is a coin toss."

*Rulebook clarification courtesy of NAR Director Sir Peter Chalfin

Thoughts on Alumni Weekend

The annual PSBC Alumni Weekend is something special. Being able to reconnect with former teammates, coaches, and friends while also meeting new faces from various PSBC eras is what makes the weekend great. The fact that 40 to 50 alumni return annually is a testament to the program as a whole, past and present, and shows just how important the PSBC is to former players and fans. The weekend not only reunites some of the first and great teams in PSBC history, but also allows for the current team to meet those who came before them (and vice versa). As an undergraduate, it was extremely eye-opening and important to see how many people truly cared about the club and its success at the same time proving that the PSBC family extends far beyond University Park. As the weekend approaches, I would like to thank Coach Lippert and President Georgeson for organizing this year's event and wish them and the team luck in their quest for a World Championship.
Kris Park '07-10

Club downs cincinnati, looks forward to alum weekend

The team took one more victory to increase their weekend total to 4 wins plus one forfeit courtesy of Kent State, bringing their spring record to 15-2. Next weekend the University of Buffalo will travel to Happy Valley with one game set to be played Friday night followed by three games on Saturday.

Next weekend is also Alumni Weekend for the PSBC as over 40 alums are expected to return to State College. The PSBC Alumni Interest Group is officially recognized by Penn State University and does a lot to help support the current team. The current team will get the opportunity to meet the former players at the 2012 networking event. While the veterans are looking forward to catching up with former teammates, this year's batch of rookies is anxious to see what alumni weekend is all about. Following the current team's games on Saturday, the alums will square off in their annual alumni game. We wish them the best of luck and hope that nobody pulls anything.

Pitchers Get Pizza Party, team Takes Three Wins

Shaner Field

The Penn State Baseball Club rolled to three victories today behind good pitching, solid defense, and plenty of offensive production. The team defeated Kent State by scores of 7-0 and 8-1 before topping the Cincinnati Bearcats 11-2. Kyle Gilbert, Greg Piehler, and Brett Moyer all picked up victories for the Lions. The pitchers earned a pizza party from Assistant Coach Adam Verducci for exceeding several pre-set goals. The team will square off against Cincinatti Sunday at 12:30 again on Sunday at the Shaner Complex to finish off the Easter weekend games.

Club takes 2 from Buffalo Prior to Storm

WIll Vance

The Penn State Baseball Club took both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday before bad weather sent the bus home early on Sunday. Kyle Gilbert and Stephen Blucher took home wins from Saturdays games and were relieved by Joshua Karahalis and Brett Moyer, respectively. Greg Piehler got the nod in game three and had thrown two scoreless innings in a mixture of pouring rain, sleet, and snow before the game was called. Sunday's game will be completed the weekend of April 21st (Alumni Weekend) and the PSBC will play 3 more games against Buffalo that weekend. The team looks forward to 4 games this weekend, 3 of which will be against Kent State and the other one vs. Cincinnati.

Gilbert Racking up the K's

Kyle Gilbert

Penn State Baseball Club senior pitcher Kyle "Gilly" Gilbert has been extremely efficient at returning opposing batters to the bench this season. To date, Gill has 26 strikeouts in 17 innings, placing him at ninth in the country in strikeouts. Kyle is a native of Duncannon, PA and is studying chemical and nuclear engineering.

2012 PSBC courtesy of Adam Verducci

PSBC Drops Two of Three to Pitt

Steve Dale

After losing game one due to a lack of offense by a score of 4-0 the PSBC fought back in game two, ultimately losing 3-2 in extra innnings on Saturday. The Club came back on Sunday to defeat the University of Pittsburgh by a score of 3-2 following Steve Dale's clutch RBI walk in the bottom of the Seventh inning. The team travels to the University of Maryland March 24 and 25 for a three game out of conference series.

Team Blasts NC State And Ball State

The PSBC defeated no. 8 NC State by a score of 14 to 7 behind an outstanding performance from junior pitcher Brett Moyer. The team's offense continued to produce in game two on Wednesday by bringing home a mercy rule victory (14-1) for junior pitcher Nathaniel Saltzer. Wednesday's games concluded the team's trip with a spring training record of 4 victories and one tie.

PSBC Rolls to 2 Victories and a Tie

The PSBC squeezed in three games on Tuesday, squaring off with JUCO ASA Brooklyn twice and finishing up the day against Bowling Green. The team defeated ASA Brooklyn by scores of 13-3 and 18-15, respectively. While Kyle Gilbert successfully shut down Brooklyn's bats for a shortened five inning first game, the second game lasted some 3 and a half hours and likely tested the patience of the most avid fans. Clutch hits like the two run homer by Dan Misdea helped the PSBC wind up on top at the end of the see-saw slopfest. The team then jumped on the bus for a half hour drive to the next facility to face Bowling Green. This game was fast paced and saw the PSBC hold a lead until the 6th inning when BG rallied to knot the score at 4. Although Penn State mounted a comeback in both the 7th and 8th innings the team was unable to score and the game was ultimately ruled to be a tie to allow the next games to get started on the field. Penn State is set to face NC State and Ball State tomorrow at 2 and 5PM, respectively. For more up to date information regarding games and some behind the scenes photos please follow @thePSBC on Twitter.

Outdoor Practice Preps Team

Although rainy weather resulted in the cancellation of four games this weekend at Eastern Carolina University the Penn State Baseball Club was still in high spirits when it arrived in Tampa, FL around 2AM on Monday morning. The team had an eventful trip from Greenville, NC; a blown tire resulted in a 2 hour pit-stop in Georgia on Sunday afternoon prior to the late arrival in Tampa early this morning. After stopping at the Golden Corral at the wishes of Birthday Boy Greg Piehler for lunch, the team headed to Plant City to watch a few ballgames. The PSBC checked into the Red Rose Inn (Plant City, FL) around 3:30 Eastern Standard time, delayed by our favorite driver Ray's retrieval of Stephen Blucher's trash bag baseball gear holder from the dumpster outside the hotel we stayed at late Sunday night. The team then headed back to the complex to hold a lengthy practice, the teams first outdoor activities this spring. Although there were signs of rustiness the team cleaned most of them up and is now raring to tackle Tuesday's three-game schedule. The Penn State Baseball Club is set to face two NCAA DII teams (ASA Brooklyn and St. Joes) and Bowling Green of the NCBA on Tuesday.

2012 Season Outlook

Coaches Lippert (35) and Verducci

After losing 8 seniors to graduation last year, the PSBC looks to kick off the 2012 spring season with a revamped roster. Although the team only returns 3 starting position players, the pitching staff is stacked with veterans. According to Coach Bill Lippert, the PSBC has lots of new faces in the mix with plenty of accompanying talent. While Lippert knows from the past that "we aren't going to sneak up on anyone", he also stressed that the team is looking to meet their opportunities head on. The team combines its youthful exuberance with drive and determination to get better every day. The team is highly motivated to make a deeper run into the playoffs after last season's disappointing end in the regional championship. Coach Adam Verducci expects big things from the team since "we ramped up our conditioning and structured our practices much better than we have in the past." These practices and workouts have given the players plenty of reps; the team is ready to get outdoors and can't wait to kick off the season Saturday morning against Coastal Carolina. While the coaches know that anything is possible once the team takes the field, they both seem very excited about the team's pitching depth and positional talent. Lippert is anxious to see how this group comes together and predicts that they'll be in for a fun season. The team departs Friday afternoon for four games at Eastern Carolina University over the weekend and four more games in Tampa, Florida next week before returning to State College. The PSBC's conference opener is scheduled for March 17 and 18th against rival University of Pittsburgh.

#THON12 Begins

The dance floor and seats beginning to fill around 4:30PM

After waiting in line outside for four hours, the PSBC is in the Bryce Jordan Center. A small contingency of PSBC'ers (Greg Piehler, Andrew Georgeson, Adam Verducci, Steve Dale,Dale Johnson) and PSU FHC'ers got in line around 12:30 today to reserve a section to cheer on our friends Shannon Walborn and Julie Coughlin of the PSU Field Hockey Club. Our respective teams will be calling section 106 of the BJC home for over 46 hours until THON ends at 4:00 PM on Sunday afternoon. If you're in the area stop by and say "hi", we'll have team members stationed there around the clock. If you've never witnessed a THON we encourage you to come out, it's an unb-ELI-evable experience. For more information about THON check out THON.org.

THON 2012 Update

PSBC and PSUClubFH canners at a host home

    This year the PSBC decided to get involved in the Penn State IFC/Panhellic Dance Marathon, better known around campus as THON. THON is the world’s largest student run philanthropy and we felt that it was time to do our part to help fight pediatric cancer. The slogan for THON this year was “Brighten Every Journey” and the PSBC attempted to brighten the journey of every THON child by raising money through two very successful canning trips and also by soliciting donations through Thonvelopes and on-line donations. The PSBC teamed up with Penn State's club Field Hockey team for both canning weekends. Both teams enjoyed each other's company and new relationships have been forged while working together for an important cause.

    THON is less than two weeks away and we have already surpassed the fundraising goal that we had set for ourselves for our first year being involved. We have currently raised approximately $6,500, but there is still plenty of time left to donate. If you would still like to contribute it's not too late, go to https://secure.imodules.com/s/1218/thon/thon.aspx?sid=1218&gid=1&pgid=671&cid=2344 and please designate your donations to the PSBC total by selecting the organization “Club Baseball.”

    We are extremely excited that we took the opportunity to see what THON was all about, and we cannot wait to continue our fundraising efforts for years to come. On behalf of the entire PSBC team, we would like to thank you for your donations to THON 2012. Any amount of service provided, no matter how big or small, will greatly aid in changing the life of a child.

Thanks to PSBC Parents and Alumni, Season Kickoff Dinner a Huge Success

Thanks to the combined efforts of current President Sir Andrew Georgeson, team parents, and alums the second annual "Beef & Keef" event was a smashing success. Rookies, veterans, and mothers all had a great time meeting the current D1 and D2 teams while enjoying some delicious beef and home made cake. It was great to meet parents and alums, the bond PSBC alums and current players share could be called priceless. The team is very excited about the prospects of the upcoming season and can't wait to get on the field in North Carolina in just over a month.

The PSBC Returns to Twitter!

Go to https://twitter.com/#!/ThePSBC to follow us or tweet @thepsbc.

PSBC Takes Three Games From Kent State

The PSBC captured wins in the first three games of the season. Timely hitting, great pitching performances and a rock solid defense were all showcased in the team wins. Congratulations to Kyle Gilbert and Stephen Blucher for earning wins in game one and two respectively. The PSBC pain train wishes it could skip winter and roll straight into spring.

Team Preps for Season Kickoff at Kent State

Skipper "Wild" Bill Lippert

The recent champions of the first annual State College Classic are ready to take their skills on the road. The PSBC will leave Happy Valley on Friday afternoon destined for Kent State with high expectations as they kick off the 2012 season. Yes, I know it's still 2011 but these games count towards the 2012 season and will be vital in the team's pursuit of Penn State's first NCBA D1 Championship. A healthy mixture of youth and experience has been practicing hard to gel and is ready to compete. This team seems to have just the right mixture of drive, tenacity, and tom-foolery to be successful and cannot wait to kick off league play. Coach William Lippert said, "We’re really excited to get the conference season going this weekend at Kent State. Even though the weather was lousy, I was really happy that we were able to get three games in during the State College Classic. It allowed us to get some of our new players on the field right away, and I was pleased with our overall performance. Conference road games are always a challenge, so we’ll look to finish up a quality week of practice and come out ready to go on Saturday."

As Dark Clouds Depart Baseball Looms on the Horizon

After 2 days of backbreaking manual labor by the PSBC, the Shaner Complex is ready to kick off the State College Classic this Friday night at 4:30 with Penn State D1 playing host to SUNY Cortland. The Penn State Baseball Club is excited to kick off its 2011-2012 season and looks to rebound from a disappointing end to last years playoff run.

State College Classic Set for October 1-2

The Penn State Baseball Club Team looks forward to squaring off in the tournament on October 1-2 with competition featuring Maryland, SUNY Cortland, Pitt, Lafayette, Buffalo, UConn, Hofstra, Cornell, George Washington, and Rutgers at the Shaner Athletic Complex.The tournament is being held by the NCBA and still has a spot open for one more team; interested schools can contact Pete Chalfin at Pete.Chalfin@collclubsports.com.

PSBC Alum Promoted to Director of Division 1 Baseball Operations

Pete Chalfin, a three time NCBA All-American pitcher for the Penn State Baseball Club, was recently promoted to Director of Division 1 Baseball Operations. Pete graduated from Penn State University in 2008 with a degree in journalism and joined the NCBA staff as the North Atlantic Region Director. After being asked for his feelings on the recent promotion Pete said, "I am honored to be promoted to Director of Division I Baseball Operations. Playing in the NCBA was the most rewarding experience of my four years at Penn State. Now, I’m fortunate enough to be in a position where I can help provide a similar, or hopefully an even better experience, for thousands of other college students at universities throughout the country. I’m excited for the opportunity to help the NCBA continue to grow and improve." We would like to congratulate Mr. Chalfin and wish him all the best with his new role.