UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Former Penn State catcher Ben Heath (Huntersville, N.C.) was recognized for his three home run performance on Friday with a front page story on MiLB.com, the official website of Minor League Baseball. Heath went deep in each of his first three at-bats for the Lexington Legends and fell just short of his fourth long ball, which would have tied a South Atlantic League record.

As of Saturday morning, Heath’s story stood No. 3 on the front page of MiLB.com, only behind former American League MVP Dustin Pedroia’s impending rehab assignment and Yankees prospect J.R. Murphy driving in nine for the Charleston RiverDogs.

In just the fifth game since his call-up, Heath set a career-high (college or professional) with three home runs against the West Virginia Power, single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It marked his first-career multi-homer game in the pros. He hit two in a game on five occasions while at Penn State, including four times in 2010 to tie for tops in the nation.

via Penn State University Official Athletic Site – Baseball.

Ben Heath’s return to State College was brief, uneventful and, surprisingly, featured no fanfare whatsoever.

His departure, however, was far more fruitful.

Heath, the former Penn State baseball standout, learned early Saturday morning that his homecoming at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park would be cancelled. The reason: Heath was being promoted from the New York- Penn League Tri-City ValleyCats to the Lexington Legends of the South Atlantic League.

via Heath’s reunion cut short by call-up – Sports | Centre Daily Times – State College, PA | Penn State, Nittany Lions, weather, news, jobs, homes, apartments, real estate.

Earlier this season, Craig Clark was successfully scaling the rugged mountains of minor league baseball. Over the past two months, though, the Spring-Ford graduate has had to deal with some obstacles which have for the moment curtailed his climb.

Clark, a 25-year-old left-hander, saw a promising start for the San Francisco Giants Double-A affiliate in Richmond halted by a couple of untimely injuries.

via Injuries forced rising Clark down to Class A – The Mercury Sports: Pottstown, PA and The Tri County areas of Montgomery, Berks and Chester Counties pottsmerc.com.

Collegian Staff Writer

Penn State and Nebraska’s baseball teams have combined for more than 6,000 games played and nearly 4,000 wins since both programs began playing more than 100 years ago.

Yet, the two programs have never faced each other on the diamond.

That should change in two seasons, when Nebraska begins competition as a member of the Big Ten.

The history the Cornhuskers have built while playing in the Big 12 has the Penn State players and coaches excited to face Nebraska and hopefully create a new rivalry.

via Baseball excited for Nebraska matchup – The Daily Collegian Online.

Not many paths to Coca-Cola Park and the Triple-A All-Star game have taken as many turns and twists as Nate Bump’s.

From south Florida to Shreveport, La., to State College to Camden, N.J. to, now, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the 33-year-old Towanda, Pa., native has journeyed down almost every highway professional baseball has to offer.

Bump has won a World Series ring, which he earned as part of the 2003 Florida Marlins. He’s still the highest drafted player ever (25th overall in 1998) from Penn State.

via Baseball is fun again for Lehigh Valley IronPigs All-Star pitcher Nate Bump | lehighvalleylive.com.

The book on David Aardsma was always the same: power arm with a blessed fastball, but wild command and an affinity for fly balls – and by extension, home runs. He was essentially a major league journeyman. The former first round pick out of Rice had spent the first few seasons of his career within the Giants organization but only appeared in big league games for the club in 2004. His next major league appearance would come for the Cubs in 2006. In 2007 he’d stay in Chicago, but move to the Southside. In 2008 he’d remain a Stocking, but change hues from Black to Red.

via David Aardsma’s Worst | FanGraphs Baseball.

The 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game at Coca-Cola Park, featuring the top performers from both the International and Pacific Coast League, will be nationally televised on MLB Network, beginning at 7 p.m. on July 14. The All-Star Game is sold out.

via Bump named a AAA all-star – Sports – Daily Review.

FLORENCE, KY – Baseball has long been synonymous with the bond between father and son.

The difference between coach and spectator mirrors the tightrope all fathers walk as both stern disciplinarians and understanding confidants. And often a simple catch with Dad says more then the deepest conversation.

For Freedom infielder Cory Wine, the bond goes even deeper.

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via Ben Heath Named Pro-Line Athletic NCBWA Third Team All-American | astros.baseball-news-update.com.