Happy Valley Hardball » Scouting Report

Bucknell Baseball Media Guide

UncleLar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:37:01 +0000

OSU SID: Ohio State hosts Penn State

UncleLar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:40:19 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State and Penn State open the Big Ten Conference season with four games in Columbus this weekend. Three of the games – the first three games of the series – will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network will also be in Columbus next week and will air two of the games against Minnesota. That will conclude BTN televised games from Columbus in the regular season, although the doubleheader at Northwestern will be on the network.

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Lehigh previews their games with us

UncleLar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:20:02 +0000

Baseball: Hawks ready for weekend triple header – Sports via kwout

Bethune-Cookman preview

UncleLar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:25:48 +0000

Schedule Changes

UncleLar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:26:53 +0000

Baseball – Penn State University Official Athletic Site via kwout

Wake Forest (2-3) preview

UncleLar — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:54:02 +0000

Don’t be fooled by Wake’s 2-3 record going into this afternoon’s doubleheader with Troy. Wake was an NCAA tournament team last year and a runner-up in the ACC tournament. Plus they have virtually everyone back.

How does this sound for a solid bunch of returnees?

starters at all nine positions
the top six starters
95% of their at bats
96% of their hits
100% of their home runs
87% of their starts
72% of their innings

Who wouldn’t love that?

If there’s a question mark anywhere, it’s their relief pitching. Their top two relievers signed with the Mets and Diamondbacks so there’s a potential hole there.

So far this season, the Deacons are led by 1st Allan Dykstra who was a 2nd team All ACC selection last year. As of this morning, Dykstra was hitting .412 with a couple of home runs in the first five games. He’s scored nine runs in just 17 official at bats.

Look for fifth year senior Charlie Mellies to possibly get the start tomorrow. He was Wake’s Sunday starter last week against Pepperdine but got pounded for nine hits and seven runs in just three innings so it is possible that he pitched himself out of a starting role.

No matter what Wake’s record is, the Lions will have their hands full Sunday.

Here’s Wake’s preseason preview from their SID.

Note: Wake won game one over Troy 8-3. Game two is in progress.

Weekend Scouting Report – Kennesaw State

UncleLar — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 10:44:29 +0000

Kennesaw State, from Kennesaw GA, was a preseason pick, along with Stetson, as one of the two favorites in the 2008 Atlantic Sun Conference race. This past week, Kennesaw topped Stetson, taking two out of three, to establish themselves as the early favorite for the conference crown.

The Owls had three players selected to the preseason all conference team. Starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn, second baseman Jacob Robbins, and outfielder Martin Baker each received the honor from the opposing coaches around the conference.

Going into today’s game with Wake Forest, Kennesaw held a 4-3 season record, having taken two out of three from both the aforementioned Stetson squad and the Samford Bulldogs to kick the season off. Sandwich between those two series was a single game loss to fellow Wiregrass Classic participant Troy. Kennesaw State will be looking to avenge that loss when they wrap the tournament up against Troy on Sunday.

KSU used their top starters during their important Tues-Wed-Thur conference matchup with Stetson, so PSU is apt to get the Owls #5 starter in their matchup on Saturday. That’s a break for the Nits.

Weekend Scouting Report – Troy

UncleLar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 04:56:44 +0000

Troy University (5-0)

Troy has gotten their season off to a solid start with a four game sweep of Rhode Island last weekend. They followed that up with a 3-1 Tuesday win over Penn State’s Saturday foe Kennesaw State.

Troy centerfielder Brian Miller, hitting out of the second spot, has a five game hitting streak going and currently sits at an even .300 for the season. Miller is also the team RBI leader with eight. 1st baseman/DH Daryl Otwell has also hit in every game and is pounding the ball at .478 clip with 8 hits in 17 at bats. But the batting leader for Troy is catcher Beau Brooks who’s got 7 hits in 14 at bats for a perfect .500 average.

Look for Ryan Ellison to get the start for Troy against the Nits. Ryan pitched solidly in the season opener against Rhode Island allowing just 4 hits and 2 earned runs in a 6 inning no decision start.

High Point Scouting Report

UncleLar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:58:57 +0000

The High Point Panthers and Penn State Nittany Lions have something in common other than a similar looking mascot. Both are coached by sons of major leaguers. Penn State’s Robbie Wine is the son of longtime Philadelphia Phillie Bobby Wine, while High Point’s Sal Bando, Jr’s dad toiled in the Oakland age organization for years. Both coaches are also graduates of Oklahoma State University.

High Point was a preseason pick for fifth place in the Big South Conference poll of athletic directors and coaches. High Point finished last season at 27-30 (10-11) and return starters at all nine positions.

They were the third best hitting team in the league last year so some early fireworks wouldn’t be too surprising even if pitchers are normally ahead of hitters this time of year.

The potential star of this team looks to be All Big South returnee junior infielder Jeff Cowan. College Baseball Insider named Cowan the Big South’s “Most Underrated Hitter” last season.

The Panthers also return five .300 hitters from last year’s starting lineup. In addition to Cowan (2B, .339), Randy Schwartz (3B/1B, .338), Bill Manion (OF, .337), Alfie Wheeler (SS, .320), and Big South Freshman of the Year Robbie Kuzdale (OF, .330) all topped the magic .300 mark.

On the mound the Panthers lost two pitchers to the draft but return two-year starter Bubba O’Donnell. O’Donnell will receive help from incoming transfer Ryan Basham.

Basham is expected to get the season opener start this afternoon against Mike Wanamaker for PSU. The second game will likely feature Matt Schlanger for the Panters opposing the Nits’ Mike Lorentson. Tomorrow should see the aforementioned Bubba O’Donnell or Jamie Serber facing either Seth Whitehill, Ryan Stobart, or TJ Macy for the Lions.

Following this series, the Nits will travel to Dothan AL for a set of games next weekend against Troy, Kennesaw State, and Wake Forest.