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Penn State hockey faces Michigan with Frozen Four on the line

Can Penn State hockey overcome a familiar foe to reach the Frozen Four for the first time ever?

Published

2 months ago

March 25, 2023

Penn State hockey, Michigan, Frozen Four

Mar 14, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre DameÕs Solag Bakich (25) gets tied up with Penn State's Jimmy Dowd Jr. (6) and Kenny Johnson (15) as Oskar Autio (35) defends the net at the Compton Family Ice Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY NETWORK

Allentown, PA — In March, the name of the game is “survive and advance.” Penn State hockey won an NCAA tournament game Friday night for the first time since 2017 when they dominated Michigan Tech 8-0. It was the largest shutout margin of victory in NCAA tournament history. This was part of a more extensive domination by the Big Ten in the first round of the tournament, with the four teams from the conference who made the tournament winning by a combined score of 36-4. And now, the Nittany Lions face Michigan for the right to go to the Frozen Four.

The Wolverines had one of the most impressive victories of Friday’s action. They obliterated a hot Colgate team by a score of 11-1. Those 11 goals are the most scored in an NCAA tournament game since 1961. A top-five team in all major polls, Wolverines are one of the most dominant teams in the country. In short, Penn State hockey has its work cut out for it if it wants to make its first Frozen Four appearance in program history.

University of Michigan Snapshot

Name: University of Michigan

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Enrollment: 48,090

Acceptance Rate: 26%

Conference: Big Ten

Men’s Hockey National Titles: 9

Scouting the Wolverines

You are likely much more familiar with Michigan than Penn State’s first-round opponent. This will be Penn State’s fifth meeting with the Wolverines this season, with the Lions holding a 1-3 record in the prior meetings.

The teams first met in November when No. 1 ranked Michigan came to Pegula. Penn State beat Michigan 3-0 in the first game of that series, marking their first win over a No. 1 ranked team. The following night the Lions fell 4-3 in overtime. Still, they rallied from a three-goal deficit late in the third period to send it to overtime.

But Michigan wasn’t at full strength during that series. They were missing multiple key players due to a virus outbreak on the team that sent players to the hospital and nearly cost junior defenseman Steven Holtz his life. Michigan regained its health, rallied around that harrowing experience, and became a better hockey team.

Penn State traveled to Michigan in mid-January, where the Lions were swept. In the first game, the Lions were blown out 7-3. The second game saw them lead 3-0 and 4-2 before falling 5-4.

And even then, Michigan was not at full strength. Freshman forward Frank Nazar, a first-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, had yet to put on a Wolverines uniform due to injury. Now he has. He scored a goal in his NCAA tournament debut against Colgate Friday night.

Michigan’s roster received numerous awards. Freshman forward Adam Fantilli, who will be a lottery pick this year, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He was also a First Team All-Big Ten Selection along with sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes. Hughes is so talented that the New Jersey Devils, who drafted him 4th overall, are anxiously awaiting Michigan’s elimination so he can help the NHL club in their playoff race.

Outside of the stars, Michigan’s depth can more than fill whatever role is needed to help their team win. That is one of the reasons they are such a dangerous team, one that has picked up wins over Harvard, Boston University, and Minnesota en route to a Big Ten championship.

Can Penn State hockey make the Frozen Four?

Michigan is nothing short of an offensive juggernaut. The Wolverines showcased it all year, but nothing was as impressive as Friday night’s performance against a quality Colgate team. But they lack a bit in the defensive depth and goaltending department relative to their forwards.

Penn State will have the crowd behind them again on Sunday, perhaps even more so than Friday, with a convenient early evening start time. However, Michigan is no stranger to these Penn State crowds, already having played at Pegula this season.

The Nittany Lions have been competitive in three of the four games against Michigan this season. That shouldn’t change Sunday, even if the talent gap has continued to grow since these teams last met. Penn State should be able to hang around into the third period. Still, Michigan’s high-end talent will prevail and send the Wolverines back to the Frozen Four for the second straight year.

Michigan-5, Penn State-3

The winner of this game will go on to the Frozen Four, taking place in Tampa, FL, on April 6th and 8th. The matchup in the national semifinals will be against the Quinnipiac and Ohio State winner in the Bridgeport Regional Final on Saturday.

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Penn State baseball loses season finale against No. 20 Maryland

The Nittany Lions will look to pick up the pieces and rebuild for 2024.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 21, 2023

Surya Maddali

Jun 7, 2014; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Maryland Terrapins outfielder Anthony Papio (13) and shortstop Blake Schmit (1) celebrate a run against the Virginia Cavaliers at Davenport Field. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

In a series that was also the source of significant news for the program, Penn State baseball returned home for a season-ending three-game series against the nationally-ranked Maryland Terrapins. The weekend saw a few close efforts and an impressive upset win, but the Nittany Lions ultimately ended the season with another series defeat.

Offensive explosion in game one

On Thursday, game one saw pure offense from both teams. The Terrapins scored three runs in the second inning, but then the Lions responded with seven runs in their half of the inning. Such was the story of the game, with both squads exchanging runs back and forth.

Maryland scored three runs in the fourth to cut the Penn State lead down to a single run. But Penn State again answered right back by scoring six runs across the fifth and sixth innings. This scoring outburst featured a triple from Grant Norris that scored Johnny Piacentino and Thomas Bramley. After six innings, the score was 13-6 Nittany Lions.

In the seventh, Maryland scored six runs to cut the Penn State lead to a single run. However, after adding two additional runs as a cushion, the Nittany Lions surrendered five runs in the ninth inning to lose 17-15.

Penn State baseball pulls upset in game two

Mere hours after news broke of head coach Rob Copper’s resignation on Friday, Penn State put together an inspired performance that culminated in the upset of the 20th-ranked Terrapins.

The Nittany Lions took a quick 2-0 lead in the second inning after an RBI double from Thomas Bramley that plated CJ Pittaro and Jay Harry. Maryland finally responded in the fifth, taking a 3-2 lead. But that lead didn’t last long, as Penn State quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning following a two-run single from Jay Harry.

CJ Pittaro added an insurance run in the eighth inning, and the Lions won by a score of 5-3. The win marked Penn State’s second victory against a ranked opponent this year, with the first coming against Miami to open the season.

Lions’ season ends in disappointment

Despite a valiant effort, Penn State’s season finale ended in disappointment.

The Lions took a 1-0 lead after an RBI triple from CJ Pittaro in the second. However, Maryland answered in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-1 advantage.

After a three-run fourth inning, Penn State retook the lead 4-2. However, the Lions were unable to score any more runs on the day. A home run and a pair of singles gave Maryland a 7-4 victory and, ultimately, the series win. Due to Saturday’s win, the Terrapins also won the Big Ten regular season title.

Looking forward to 2024

With this series, the Nittany Lions’ 2023 campaign came to a disappointing end. In what was head coach Rob Cooper’s last season, Penn State baseball finished at .500, the second time in two seasons it did so. The Lions were not stellar in conference play, finishing at 7-16 and missing the conference tournament as a result.

With a few changes coming to the program by next season, it will be interesting to see how the Nittany Lions regroup and move ahead in the spring of 2024.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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National search begins after Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper resigns

Penn State will be looking for a new baseball coach to start the 2024 season.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 20, 2023

Surya Maddali

Credit: Basic Blues Nation, 2023.

After a disappointing season, Penn State baseball has to find a new path forward. And next year, the program will have to find that path with a new face at the helm. On Friday, Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper announced that he will not return to the team next season.

Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper resigns

Hours before Friday’s game against Maryland, Penn State released a statement from Cooper announcing his resignation from the program. Cooper’s resignation is effective following the Nittany Lions’ final game on Saturday.

“I am beyond grateful for my time as the head baseball coach at Penn State. This is a special place, because of the special people who make it up. My family and I love Penn State. While I am disappointed I wasn’t able to get the baseball program the success it deserves, I am excited about the vision Dr. [Pat] Kraft has for Penn State Athletics, the student-athletes, and the baseball program,” Cooper’s statement said in part.

Cooper led the Nittany Lions for a decade, winning 197 games. Despite a disappointing 25-24 record so far this year, Penn State has experienced success recently. In 2022, Cooper led the Lions to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2012. Penn State upset No. 3 Iowa before being eliminated.

In addition, 12 players were drafted during Cooper’s tenure, while 13 total players signed professional contracts. The most successful has been Matt Wood, who was the highest-selected pick in program history. He was recently promoted to the High-A level in the Brewers organization.

Congratulations to @Mattwood_59 on his promotion to High-A Wisconsin! 👏👏👏

In 25 games with the Mudcats Wood hit .293/.468/.488 and 20 RBI's❗️ pic.twitter.com/XpAbYYKDeh

— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) May 15, 2023

A national search begins

In the statement released by Penn State, athletic director Pat Kraft thanked Cooper for his years of service to the university. “We appreciate Rob Cooper for all he has done for the Penn State community these last 10 seasons,” Kraft said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rob for not only the commitment he made to our baseball program, but also the way he represented Penn State University with class. I want to thank Rob, and wish him, his wife, Maureen, and his family nothing but the best in the future.”

The university’s statement ended by saying that Penn State would immediately begin a national search to find Cooper’s replacement.

Seeming to rally behind their head coach, the Nittany Lions upset No. 20 Maryland Friday night, 5-3. Cooper’s final game as Penn State head coach will be on Saturday, with first pitch coming at noon at Medlar Field.

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Penn State releases plans for Medlar Field renovations

The home of Penn State baseball will soon be getting some upgrades.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2023

Surya Maddali

April 11, 2023. Medlar Field during Penn State's 11-6 victory over West Virginia. Credit: Basic Blues Nation, 2023.

Over the last few years, Penn State has shown its commitment to the university’s athletic programs through facility upgrades. The Penn State football program recently finished a significant upgrade to the weight room in the Lasch Building, and the Penn State Board of Trustees recently approved $70 million to begin renovations of Beaver Stadium. Across the street, the Penn State baseball program will also be getting an upgrade, as plans for Medlar Field renovations were also recently released.

Penn State plans Medlar Field renovations

It was recently revealed that Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, the home of Penn State baseball since 2006, is getting renovations after the end of the State College Spikes’ season this summer. The upgrades include completely changing the playing field and lighting systems.

Essentially, through a two-part process, the entire playing field will get an upgrade. The field is currently made of natural grass. While the renovations will not change the surface type, Penn State does play to completely change the grass in Medlar Field. In addition, the university plans to upgrade the field’s lights to all LED, which will brighten the area during night events at the field, such as Dollar Dog Night games.

Will these changes improve the gameday experience for baseball fans?

As someone who covered games from the press box this season, I gained perspective on the fan experience at Medlar Field. Overall, replanting a natural grass field is never harmful. It helps keep it fresh for the players and can prevent injuries that would otherwise be caused by aged grass.

The lighting seems to be the most meaningful change, as it will significantly improve the lumination level for night events. I think the existing lighting is underwhelming at times, and it has not been bright enough for the night games. This renovation is a welcomed one for me, and will benefit players, fans, and the media alike.

The Nittany Lion baseball team will close out its season at the 5,400-seat stadium this week when the Nittany Lions take on Maryland in the regular season finale.