Penn State baseball travels to face Rutgers for make-or-break Big Ten finale

The Nittany Lions' chances at a Big Ten Tournament appearance will now be tested more than ever.
Rutgers v Miami
Rutgers v Miami | Joel Auerbach/GettyImages

The Penn State Nittany Lions look to the east as they wrap up Big Ten conference play against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on the road this weekend. After a shocking home series loss to the Maryland Terrapins last weekend, the Nittany Lions have now fallen to a game below .500 and currently sit in 10th place in the conference standings. Here are the biggest storylines for this weekend's showdown with heavy implications.

Penn State: DeSanto has stumbled recently

Junior left-handed pitcher Ryan DeSanto has fallen out of form in his last two outings, allowing 10 earned runs in 11 innings of work. He's let up two and three home runs in each game, respectively, going for the most out of any start for him this season. He claimed a loss against Maryland, his first since March 21 in a 4-0 defeat against Michigan State at home. While UCLA and Maryland are potent offenses, it's been frustrating for fans to see their Friday ace struggle in crucial series.

Penn State: Bats picking up speed again

As the arms have struggled, the Nittany Lion offense was a bright spot last weekend against Maryland. The Penn State bats collected 39 hits against the Terrapins, including 17 last Saturday, which tied for their season-high with a 15-10 win over Minnesota on the road on April 6. Center fielder and designated hitter Paxton Kling led the charge last weekend, going 6-for-12 with four runs batted in.

Rutgers: Continuing to climb

After sweeping the Illinois Fighting Illini at home last weekend, the Scarlet Knights have continued their quiet success. The sweep earned Rutgers the ninth-place spot for now, one-half game ahead of the Nittany Lions. The Scarlet Knights have garnered series wins over Washington, Ohio State, and Illinois with six conference games to go.

Rutgers: Fresh faces driving pitching success

The Scarlet Knights have been able to rely on their freshmen quite often this year, as their top two rotation pieces are both in their first collegiate seasons. The four relief pitchers with the lowest earned run average among bullpen arms for Rutgers have all been freshmen. These impact players have paved the way for head coach Steve Owens to have a solid future with his team on the mound.

1. Friday Projected Starters

Penn State: LHP Ryan DeSanto (7-2, 4.18 ERA)
Rutgers: RHP Landon Mack (4-5, 4.04 ERA)

2. Saturday Projected Starters

Penn State: LHP Logan Olson (0-3, 9.45 ERA)
Rutgers: RHP Justin Shadek (3-3, 6.93 ERA)

3. Sunday Projected Starters

Penn State: To be announced.
Rutgers: To be announced.

Portney's Picks

Rutgers lack of a long-ball offense could be their Achilles' heel in this series. The momentum may be on the Scarlet Knights' side for now, but with ambiguity surrounding Sunday starting pitching, they could struggle to keep their hot streak going. The Nittany Lions will be able to carry their previous road success into Piscataway, taking two-of-three in this series.

Schedule

Schedule