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Penn State lacrosse falls to Maryland in top-10 battle

The Nittany Lions rallied late but couldn’t complete the upset.

Published

2 months ago

March 26, 2023

May 25, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions attack Mac O'Keefe (3) reacts after a Yale Bulldogs goal during the second half in the semifinals of the men's NCAA lacrosse national championship at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

College Park, MD — Rivalries in sports are rarely as one-sided as Penn State and Maryland in men’s lacrosse. Really, it depends on which school’s records you consult to determine how one-sided the series is. Maryland lacrosse claims Penn State has beaten the Terrapins once. Penn State claims it has been victorious three times. Maryland claims their all-time record is 39-1, while Penn State lacrosse claims it is 43-3. Regardless of who is correct, it isn’t pretty for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State (5-2, 0-0 Big Ten) entered the game with a No. 9 ranking nationally after a three-week span that saw the Nittany Lions pick up three top-10 wins, all against Ivy League schools. They were ranked even higher before being upset by Marquette last weekend.

Defending national champion Maryland (5-2, 0-0 Big Ten) is consistently one of the best programs in the country, playing in a state where lacrosse is a religion. The Terrapins maintain a No. 2 ranking after a win over No. 1 Virginia last weekend.

In like a Lion, out like a lamb

The top-10 matchup started very quickly for the Nittany Lions. On the first possession, sophomore attacker T.J. Malone fired one into the Maryland net to give Penn State a 1-0 lead. Maryland would get a long period of possession, but three saves from sophomore goaltender Jack Fracyon denied the Terrapins.

A turnover on the next possession for Penn State would give Maryland their first score of the day, tying the game at one. Penn State couldn’t find the net on their next possession, but Maryland could, giving the Terrapins a 2-1 lead.

When Penn State got the ball back, they drew a penalty on a Maryland defense. This gave the Lions a 30-second man-up advantage, and graduate student attacker Jack Traynor was able to knot the game at two.

This gave Penn State – and Traynor himself – some momentum. Traynor scored on the next possession to give the lead back to the Lions. Maryland was able to quickly answer to tie the game at three. They would add another quick goal less than 30 seconds later to give the Terps a 4-3 lead. Right before time expired on the quarter, Maryland added another one to obtain its first multi-goal lead of the night at 5-3.

The Nittany Lions controlled play for the first few minutes, but Maryland’s talent started to shine through. The Terps outshot the Nittany Lions 22-5 at the end of the first quarter.

Lions look to rebound

The second quarter picked up where the first left off. Just 12 seconds in, Maryland added another goal. That marked four goals in 68 seconds for Maryland.

Immediately after, the Nittany Lions took a faceoff violation resulting in a man-up situation for Maryland. They quickly capitalized, making the lead 7-3. Penn State lacrosse coach Jeff Tambroni called a timeout to try and stem the momentum that Maryland had built.

It didn’t work. Right after the timeout, Maryland added another score. At this point, the rout was on for the Terrapins.

Or so it seemed. The Nittany Lions would put a run of their own together with four unanswered goals to make it a 9-8 Maryland lead late in the first half, forcing the Terps to call a timeout. Maryland would end Penn State’s run with under five seconds left in the half with a goal of their own, and the game headed to halftime with a score of 10-8 Maryland lacrosse.

Long scoring drought seals win for Maryland lacrosse

Penn State scored quickly into the second half, cutting the lead back to one. But Maryland soon answered on a delayed penalty, moving the score to 11-9. The remainder of the third quarter was shockingly uneventful for such a high-action sport like lacrosse. The game headed to the fourth quarter with Maryland leading 11-9.

Maryland would break a lengthy scoring drought about five minutes into the fourth quarter, giving them a three-goal cushion. Penn State could not solve the Terrapins’ defense, but its own defense kept the game at arm’s reach. The Lions even had a man-up opportunity but turned over the ball.

That turnover resulted in another Maryland score, giving them a 13-9 lead with just over five minutes to play. That goal was the final nail in the coffin for Penn State’s comeback hopes. Penn State would add a goal in garbage time, but it was too little and too late. Penn State fell by a final score of 13-10

Up next for Penn State lacrosse

Penn State heads home, where they have yet to lose, to face No. 19 Ohio State on April 2nd. The game will start at noon and will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

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.

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Related Topics:Nittany Lions Penn State Penn State Lacrosse

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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

1 week 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

1 week 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

2 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.