The start of Penn State’s 2026 campaign is finally here as the Nittany Lions travel to Arizona for three games at the MLB Desert Invitational this weekend. Coach Mike Gambino led the blue and white to another successful season last year, with a 33-23 record and a second straight Big Ten semifinals appearance.
Now entering their third season under Gambino, the Nittany Lions have a chance to carry their momentum from the last two years and make another run in the Big Ten Tournament, while also possibly earning an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since 2000.
The road to the postseason starts with the blue and white’s season opener against Air Force at 8 p.m. on Friday. Then the Nittany Lions face Grand Canyon at 3 p.m. on Saturday, with the opening weekend wrapping up against Kansas State at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Air Force
There isn’t much history between the two squads, with only one prior meeting before Friday’s contest. While the Falcons look to have a bounce-back season after a rocky 2025 campaign, in which they finished 20-34, which was second-to-last in the Mountain West.
The squad finished bottom three in batting with a cumulative .281 average and also tossed an overall 7.17 ERA. However, senior Walker Zapp returns after being one of the only bright spots in Air Force’s lineup last season.
The catcher stuffed the stat sheet and finished with the team’s third-best average at .330, along with the second-most hits, home runs and RBIs. The Auburn, Alabama, native also reached base efficiently with a .999 OPS.
The Nittany Lions should have an advantage in both hitting and pitching in this matchup, with a veteran-led outfield and an experienced pitching staff. Despite Ryan DeSanto heading off to MLB, the blue and white still returned some of its star pitchers.
Senior Dimond Loosli had an impressive first season at Penn State, posting a 3.82 ERA and allowing 34 hits and 17 runs over 33 innings. The Walnut Creek, California, native will likely be a shutdown reliever in the Nittany Lions’ bullpen.
Right handed pitcher Dimond Loosli (16) winds up to pitch during the Penn State baseball game against Purdue at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Sunday, April, 20, 2025 in University Park, Pa. The Boilermakers beat the Nittany Lions 11-8.
Megan Miller
Grand Canyon
The Antelopes face Penn State for just the second time after they swept the series in 2018. Before leaving for the Mountain West, Grand Canyon finished fourth in the Western Atlantic with a 31-27 record.
In 2025, the Antelopes ranked in the middle of the conference with a team .295 average and 6.37 ERA. While Grand Canyon lost its two biggest bats in Josh Wakefield and Zach Yorke to the MLB draft, junior Cannon Peery will wreak havoc in the batter’s box.
Last season, the first baseman finished with a .317 average, with 53 hits and 38 RBI in 167 at-bats. After many of the Antelopes top hitters left the squad, they will need solid offensive production from Peery.
On the other side of the ball, senior Elijah Higginbottom will anchor the pitching staff. The right-handed pitcher posted the team’s third-best ERA last season at 4.32. Additionally, Higginbottom held a 6-0 record with 42 strikeouts over 50 innings.
This is another favorable matchup for the Nittany Lions, but they will need offensive production from one of the lone infield returners, Bryce Molinaro. The redshirt junior finished with a .267 average, 60 hits, 13 home runs and 61 RBI in 2025.
Infielder Bryce Molinaro (23) smiles and looks off during the Penn State baseball game against Michigan State at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Sunday, March 23, 2025 in University Park, Pa. The Spartans defeated the Nittany Lions 10-5.
Lexie Linderman
Kansas State
The Wildcats and the Nittany Lions have played four previous times, with Kansas State holding a 3-1 record over Penn State. This will be the biggest test of the weekend for the blue and white as the Wildcats enter the new season fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Kansas State finished sixth in the Big 12, with a 32-26 record, and reached the conference championship game, where it lost to Houston. Despite ranking near the bottom in the Big 12 offensively, the Wildcats can rake. The squad finished with the third-most home runs in the conference with 97, so power is one of their strong suits.
While Kansas State lost a lot of its power hitters, such as Seth Dardar, Maximum Martin and Keegan O’Connor, sophomore AJ Evasco spearheads the lineup. The infielder posted the team’s third-best average at .311, tied for fourth-most in home runs with 11 and held the third-most RBI with 52.
Pitching wasn’t a strong suit last season, but junior Adam Arther was reliable with a team-best 2.45 ERA, with 15 strikeouts and he allowed just 20 hits over 25.2 innings. The left-hander might provide Penn State with some trouble offensively if he faces the Nittany Lions.
The key for the blue and white will be limiting the power hits for Kansas State, while also providing its pitching staff with runs, so less pressure is on them.
MORE BASEBALL CONTENT
It’s February, and the baseball season is upon us. While the MLB’s Spring Training is set to…
If you’re interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.