As Time Passes, Nittany Nation Should Remember Franklin Era Fondly

During Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas' press conference announcing that the team and long-time head coach Mike Sullivan were parting ways on April 29, he had this message:

“You can use whatever analogy you want. Sometimes, the class needs a new professor and sometimes the professor needs a new class... That was the conclusion that I had come to,” he said.

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft had a similar situation to consider before announcing the decision Sunday following another devastating loss, this time to Northwestern on Homecoming at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium.

“Penn State owes an enormous amount of gratitude to Coach Franklin who rebuilt our football program into a national power,” he said. “He won a Big Ten Championship, led us to seven New Year’s Six bowl games and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.” 

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi shared a similar reaction in the same press release.

“I am grateful for all that Coach Franklin has done for Penn State football and the University over the past 11-plus years. We thank him for his dedication, and we extend our best wishes to him and his family as they move forward into their next chapter,” she said. “Our commitment to excellence extends across every facet of our institution, including athletics, and I am looking forward with great anticipation to this exciting new chapter for the Nittany Lions as we continue to build on that standard."

Sunday, Penn State came to the conclusion that many programs have had to consider before them: A coach can be good coach, but no longer the right coach.

After dropping back-to-back games where the Nittany Lions were 20+ point favorites (the first to do that since the FBS and FCS split in 1978) to teams that on paper that they should've beaten soundly, Franklin is now out of a job.

But even as this era comes to a heartbreaking end as hopes of a Big Ten and national championship have faded for 2025, Nittany Nation should be looking back upon his era with great pride once the dust settles.

Yes, he will have an awful record of 4-21 against teams ranked in the top 10, but there's so much more that Franklin had to manage to put Penn State back in the discussion for being national championship and Big Ten contenders.

Think back to where the program was when you woke up the morning of January 11, 2014 when Franklin was introduced by then Athletic Director Dr. David Joyner.

It was a program that was picking up the pieces after the NCAA's harsh sanctions, was expecting to be serving the third year of a bowl ban, but was allowed to start restoring scholarship allotment as the punishment was lightened.

Eight months later the bowl ban was lifted, and two years later the Nittany Lions took off on their unexpected Big Ten Conference Championship run in 2016, sparked by Marcus Allen's field goal block before Grant Haley took it to the house sending Beaver Stadium into a frenzy against Ohio State.

During Franklin's tenure Penn State registered six 10-plus win seasons -- including the last three which is the first time program has accomplished that since 1980-1982.

Along with an appearance in seven New Year's Six Bowl games (a 4-3 record) along with making the 2024 College Football Playoff Semifinals, Franklin has left Penn State in a position far greater than what he inherited from his predecessor, Bill O'Brien.

His era is the most successful football Penn State has enjoyed since Joe Paterno was in his prime from the late 1970s to the mid 1980s, and Nittany Nation has plenty to be thankful for from that.

There will be plenty of what ifs from this era of Penn State Football, looking back at missed opportunities in big games among others.

But, Penn State should look back on this time with happy memories because at a time when the Nittany Lions were expected to be down for sometime, they found away to bring the program back to prominence rather quickly.

Bill O'Brien deserves a lot of the credit for keeping the program afloat during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, but James Franklin deserves much of the credit for taking what O'Brien built and turning it into what the program has become.

Unfortunately, this decision comes at a difficult financial time as Penn State's $700 million renovation continues at Beaver Stadium while having to pay out close to $50 million in a buyout while having to add another $100-$150 million depending on final negotiations.

Penn State will now get to do something it hasn't done since the Nittany Lions promoted Joe Paterno to the head coach position in 1966 after he succeeded Rip Engle (who Franklin is tied for second-most wins in program history): hiring a coach without the scandal hanging over their heads.

Kraft understands how important it is to get this hiring right as now this will be the first time Penn State will make this kind of hiring in the NIL era. Franklin should also get looks elsewhere if he desires to continue coaching especially from programs who need help taking the next step toward relevance.

But no matter where the future takes either of them, once the dust settles, Penn State fans should look back on this era with a lot of pride.

Penn State Hockey...You've Come Along Way

The photo you see is from press row at Pegula Ice Arena on the night of Friday, October 11, 2013 as Penn State welcomed Army for the first ever game at this new state of the art area.

That was the day Penn State started its second season of playing NCAA Division I Hockey after ending what was a 65-year hiatus due to the lack of resources.

It was a day that Nittany Nation could dream of what could lay ahead as they ushered in a new era of hockey.

Joe Battista -- who enjoyed exceptional success as the head coach of the former ACHA Club team -- had the dream of bringing Division I Hockey back to the University Park campus. It all became possible after a meeting with Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula as he would donate along with his wife Kim more than $100 million to make the program a reality

Division I hockey made its return to what is now known as Hockey Valley on October 12, 2012 as Penn State hosted American International under the yellow lights of the old Greenberg Ice Pavilion. The Nittany Lions dropped the first game of their return 3-2 in overtime before recording the first win the next night in the extra session against the Yellow Jackets, 4-3, in the extra session,

Fast forward to a year later and the opening of Pegula Ice Arena, the possibilities were endless for the newest teams on campus as over 6,000 fans gathered for this historic night.

It didn't take long to know just how crazy of an environment it could be when just over three minutes into the contest as defensemen Nate Jensen took a feed from Taylor Holstrom for the first ever goal in the Nittany Lions new den.

Curtis Loik, David Goodwin, and Eric Scheid would add goals of their own to secure a 4-1 win over the Black Knights. What some may have forgotten is the Black Knights due to a government shutdown at the time almost had to back out of the game.

While the season didn't end well, it was a thought of what could come in the future under coach Guy Gadowsky once the transition was complete.

What a ride the Nittany Lion hockey program has been on ever since.

Penn State got its first breakthrough during the 2017 Big Ten Conference Tournament at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Seeded fourth, they knocked off Michigan, stunned top-seed Minnesota before an unforgettable double-overtime winner as Liam Folkes on the breakaway upset Wisconsin, 2-1.

The Nittany Lions would introduce themselves to the NCAA Tournament with an emphatic 10-3 victory over Union which included a five-goal outburst during the third period.

Fast forward a couple of years, Penn State appeared destined for glory in the NCAA Tournament as they went 20-10-4 on their way to capturing their first Big Ten regular season championship in 2019-20. That unfortunately would be derailed as the NCAA canceled the remainder of the season in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

After a brief down period the Nittany Lions returned to the NCAA Tournament two years ago emphatically beating Michigan Tech, 8-0, before meeting the same fate at PPL Center from six years earlier in Allentown against Michigan, 2-1, in their second appearance in the Elite Eight.

This year if you told me that this team was going to make the Frozen Four after falling in the shootout during the Frozen Confines match up against Notre Dame, I wouldn't have believed you.

After bouncing back the next game back in South Bend with a 3-0 shutout against the Fighting Irish, it turned out that was just a sign of how wrong I was about to be proven (and I'm sure I'm not alone).

Watching Penn State go from being a team that appeared destined for an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament following a last place finish to a team that was one win way from playing in a National Championship will go down as one of the most important moments on their path to when they finally climb the mountain to a national title.

Seeing them destroy Maine, 5-1, before watching Matt DiMarsico take a feed from Charlie Cerrato to send the PPL Center crowd into a frenzy as they clinched the Allentown Regional Championship over UConn in overtime 3-2.

Thursday night's defeat at the hands of Boston University during Thursday night's national semifinal at Enterprise Center in St. Louis while disappointing, it's just a sign of how far this program has come as Gadowsky completes his 13th year at the helm. It also served as a reminder how much work still remains for the Nittany Lions to enjoy their championship day.

There was plenty of tears shown by this year's Nittany Lions after the defeat, but all of them can take pride in knowing that what came before them, they helped raise the standard again.

In a matter of 13 years, Penn State went from being a program trying to build it from the bottom up to a program that should expect to make it to the Frozen Four more often. They've found what it takes to make it to college hockey's biggest stage and now have the challenge of breaking through on this stage next year in Las Vegas.

It wasn't that long ago that success was a dream for Penn State Hockey. The dreams were there and the thought was there of what Penn State Hockey could be in the years to come after the donation made by the Pegula's.

Now, both programs have made significant progress towards becoming national powers in the sport, also knowing that there is more work to be done before it could be considered a blue blood in the sport.

There may not be any national championship trophies to show for it, but there's one thing that can't be denied when it comes to how far Nittany Lion ice hockey has come.

Penn State Hockey in a short time, you've come a long way.

Speaking of making history, stick taps to the women's team who under Jeff Kampersal in seven years has won three straight conference championships between the College Hockey America and Atlantic Hockey America conferences and has made it to the NCAA Tournament each year in that time.

While the men look to make their second Frozen Four appearance, the women have an extra incentive to make the Frozen Four next year with Pegula Ice Arena will hosting the women's event for the first time since 2022.

Put it on hold: Why the IOC should postpone this year's Olympics

If nothing changes between now and July 22, many of the world's best athletes will be calling Tokyo home for a little more than two weeks for this year's Olympics.

This year's edition of the summer sports spectacle is scheduled take place with the opening ceremonies on July 24 with everything set to wrap up by August 9. Competition will begin on July 22.

The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee has now laid out a plan to determine in the next four weeks whether or not the Games of the XXXII Olympiad can take place under the current conditions.

The summer event has been cancelled three times before as a result of World Wars I and II (1916, 1940 and 1944). The winter games have been called off on two occasions because of those same conflicts (1940 and 1944).

Sunday, the Canadian and Australian Olympic Committees announced that because of the conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, they will not be sending their athletes/expressed concerns regarding their ability to assemble a team to compete in the games unless they're postponed to the next year.  

It may not be a necessity to cancel the games, but one thing is for certain: this year's games must be postponed until 2021.

That may be tough for the IOC to handle knowing that they just held the torch lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece recently.

It should be noted that first and foremost in America (and it's possible this is the case around the world, too) that two of the U.S. Olympic Training Facilities are currently closed (Colorado Springs, Colo. and Lake Placid, N.Y.).

If comparable conditions around the planet exist for other olympic training facilities, then that would leave the games set up for a poor quality of competition which would also mean that athletes who may have just one shot at this may not be able to make the most of their chance in the spotlight.

There's no hiding it, if you were an athlete -- let alone an olympic athlete -- you know that as you competed in your sport(s) you were fighting a battle that all of us will lose one day, and that's the aging process. 

Imagine if you were one of those athletes who would now be going through the qualifying process to join the Olympic team in your sport. Would you want to have to go and compete on one of the biggest stages with the world watching without having all of the adequate training time that you need?

It should also be noted that qualifying events have also been postponed including the wrestling trials which were scheduled to be held in the United States next month at Penn State University's Bryce Jordan Center.

Not only would that jeopardize those who have already secured their ticket to compete for gold in Tokyo, but it would also create problems when deciding who should make their way to Tokyo in events that may not have finished the qualifying process yet.

It should also be noted that athletic events will need medical personnel beyond the ones that the teams bring. If Japan is still having issues, why should an athletic event be getting medical providers when someone who is in the hospital could use them to get over this virus?

The Olympics also has several media partners from around the world covering the games and if they're going to go on time, they need to know when it's safe to start bring their equipment into the country.

Those media partners will need to build their sets and make sure that the technology is in communication with their equipment back home to ensure the best quality of broadcasts around the world.

Knowing how many individuals from each of the media partners are coming to the country (whether they're broadcast, print. internet, etc.) along with the other athletes and tourists coming into the country, that may take away needed facilities in the event things do not change between now and the summer.

That includes all hotels and the Olympic Village.

It should also be considered that professional sports leagues such as the NBA, would potentially be getting back to work or wrapping up their season at that point if they choose to finish the 2019-20 campaign.

A large number of current NBA players are currently listed on the USA Basketball website as members of the team including a large number of them are playing for teams as of today that are in playoff positioning under the traditional format.

We also can't ignore the number of stars that are playing for other countries as well who could be needed to play in the NBA Finals, and most importantly the number of COVID-19 cases amongst players.

Do we really want to have an Olympics where the best overall athletes aren't competing in them, not just in sports that rarely ever see the spotlight like they will when these games are held?

There will with no doubt be a lot of difficulty when deciding whether or not these games should be postponed and how a rescheduled Olympics could possibly be held. Those reasons include the upcoming FIFA World Cups in 2022 and 2023 as well as the preparation for the 2024 games which will be held in Paris.

There will be a lot of logistical moves that must be made if a rescheduled games will happen, but there is one thing in this climate that is clear: they can't be held in 2020.

To Play or Not to Play? What the PIAA will need to consider when play can resume

How many of you have seen a tweet like the one from Bellefonte baseball player and Pitt baseball signee C.J. Funk?

https://twitter.com/CJFunk8/status/1238245081011957766

That opinion is shared by Bishop McCort Catholic senior guard and Mount St. Mary's basketball signee Isabella Hunt.

https://twitter.com/isabella_hunt00/status/1238885671529562119

There is a petition going around asking the PIAA to not cancel the remainder of the sports schedule for the 2019-2020 academic year. That petition was started by Frazier High School senior softball player Emi Curcio.

These feelings are likely shared amongst a number of senior high school athletes across the country because of the chance that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic may end their careers abruptly. The NCAA had to unfortunately make that heart breaking decision to cancel their winter and spring championships this week. 

Don't forget everyone else that's a junior or younger who will see one of their seasons ended much faster than anyone would've liked, either.

Right now the Pennsylvania high school sports governing body has declared a two-week suspension of play, which has put the 2020 state basketball championships and the class 2A swimming and diving championships on hold due to COVID-19.

Friday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered schools across the state to close for at least 10 business days to help stop the spread of the virus.

There is no arguing that as difficult as theses decisions are, the PIAA and the state really had no other choice. The question remains as to how soon we can get back to normal life, and what must the PIAA consider before deciding when to play is feasible once conditions are safe?

Venues available

The PIAA must work with Hershey Entertainment on viable dates if the Giant Center will be able to host the state basketball championships as well as what other facilities can host the remaining second and subsequent rounds of the tournament. The swimming and diving championships face a similar fate at Bucknell.

The Giant Center is home to the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears and chances are that if the PIAA decides to pursue finishing its sports season, it has to deal with what the AHL requires the Hershey Bears to have available to them to complete the season. 

They have to consider the number of venues available and the stress being put on those who are willing to host these events. The good news is they won't have to consider the winterization of stadiums like the outdoor fall sports championships have to.

Spring sports

Some schools must have multi-sport athletes in order to be competitive on the field in general, while some athletes play a spring sport by choice.

The window did open for boy's tennis with other sports first games to come within the weeks ahead.

Right now, spring sports championship events start May 12 on the state level with boys tennis and conclude June 12 with the baseball and softball championships.

We also have to consider that the districts themselves have to decide on what days their championships can be held in each sport.

If they do decide to play and decide to push back to the spring championships, they have to also consider that Medlar Field at Lubrano Park which hosts the state baseball championships also is home to the New York-Penn League's State College Spikes, and assuming the season starts on time, they will not have many Fridays and Saturdays available.

Let's use this situation for example: the Spikes season starts on Thursday, June 18 and then are on the road until June 23. Following those days, the only viable week where the team is out of town is between July 13-20 if the PIAA wants to hold the games on Thursday and Friday like they usually do.

Both baseball and softball need at least two days to conduct their championship games.

Graduation/college report days/first day of fall practices for 2020-21

The PIAA does not have flexibility like the NCAA does where it can give athletes back the year that they lost because of this outbreak. Seniors are scheduled to graduate at certain times and for those that have committed to going to college regardless of whether or not they're going to play a sport again, they have mandatory reporting days.

It's possible that because of the outbreak that these reporting days might end up being changed because of the circumstances, but this situation can not be ignored.

You also have to be careful because the longer it takes to finish the winter or spring sports season, the closer we will be for reporting days for fall sports athletes.

Basketball success formula 

This will also be the first year where the success formula is applied in basketball as is the case with football. Anyone who finished the last season with 2 points or more under the success formula could be subjected to a review of their transfers this season if they have accumulated 6 points during the 2018-20 enrollment cycle. Not having this done could lead to an inaccurate picture of what teams should be forced to play up because of the rules.

It's not going to be an easy decision for the PIAA Board of Directors, and hopefully they chose to keep things postponed until they can ensure athletes will be safe when games resume.

But remember, there will be a lot of variables that the PIAA will have to consider before they decide to begin competition again, and this decision won't be easy.

Just a moment to say to all of you...Thank You.

It still feels like yesterday.

Friday, March 23, 2018. A day in my life that will forever live...in infamy.

I had just finished a phone call with my mom, telling her that I was going to be on my way from the office soon, eventually heading home for my break.

Then, the unthinkable happens.

It was around 7:00 p.m. that night before I face planted down a stair well on my way to the parking lot. 

I'll save you from the most gruesome details, but that would begin a nightmare that's gone on for almost a year.

I was rushed to the hospital by our Evening Anchor Amanda Kenney after being found by our Evening Producer Jackson Elwell as he was walking into the building. He didn't know what was going on, but acted quickly before Amanda took me to the hospital.

I later get to the emergency room in a state of shock, misery and disbelief. I had never been in a serious accident before, and I had no experience with a recovery process like this.

I remember being pulled from my CT scan and returned to my room in the Emergency Room. That's where I was greeted by mom and stepdad, while I was just in a state of lets just get me to surgery so I can go home already.

When the results of that scan came back, I was given word of something that I really didn't want to hear: I had to be transferred to another hospital because what I needed wasn't going to be available to me here.

Just what you need to hear when you're in crisis mode.

Possibly what it made it the most bearable, was when my mom asked me if I wanted to see my phone. 

Initially, I wanted nothing to do with it. I mentally just wanted to get to surgery, and get it finished. It was moments later where I changed my mind, and said sure.

I may have been greeted by 15-20 text messages asking about me and if I was ok. I legitimately thought I was going to cry on my hospital bed knowing so many people wanted to know how I was doing.

It brought a sense of comfort to me knowing so many people were asking, and that started what I needed to do to make myself ready to take on this treatment plan that I have been on since.

Being able to also share that information with family and friends that were worried about me also was helpful so no one got bogus information and they were able to hear it straight from me.

I was transferred to Pittsburgh for treatment where this long, difficult process would begin. After surgery I remember my mom showing me a photo of my niece, noting the wish for me to get well as soon as possible following a text from my oldest brother.

Just what I needed, an emotional tear jerker when I was in pain, especially one involving my goddaughter.

Later that afternoon, I would be greeted by members of my family, who saw my face looking like it was scrambled around my mouth. That is when I would later see my goddaughter in person.

I went over to her to say hi, and I saw the devastation on her face. She thought it might've been me, but she wasn't exactly sure. I put my arm around her and told her "I'm going to be ok, I just need to go through some treatment", that sent my family into laughter.

Little did I realize how much having something like that in my life would mean so much at a moment that I was in great pain. The last 24 hours may have been the hardest in my life, and knowing I had that smiling face to look forward to made a difference for me.

Then it all ended, March 6, 2019.

I can now say that after about one year, the light officially has come. No longer am I held down by the chains of a long, grueling recovery process. I finally am freed of the long hours that I have had to spend in each of the doctor's offices for treatment reasons.

This liberating feeling has never felt better, but as this chapter of my life comes to a close, I have a number of people I need to thank.

First and foremost, I want to thank my medical team that has taken care of me since day one. I couldn't be more grateful for what the UPMC Altoona and Presbyterian Hospital's Emergency Room staffs did to get my situation under control. They saw the absolute worst of it, and did what they could to make sure the recovery process started off as smoothly as it could.

I can't tell you how thankful I am for Dr. Andrew Michanowicz, Dr. Michael Cohen, Dr. Michael Reed and Dr. Edward Hovan and their staffs. All of them took on what happened to me and did everything as soon as possible in their power to make sure my mouth got back to normal as soon as they possibly could. They've seen me through the daunting trials and troubling moments, but when times were toughest, they kept me sane, so for that, I thank all of you.

Next, I want to take a moment thank my bosses at WTAJ. They showed incredible flexibility and understanding, knowing fully that because of the necessary care I needed, that this could very well impact my ability to be available to them at a given moment. I'm incredibly fortunate that I only had to miss a day of work for treatment only once following the initial aftermath.

My family and friends couldn't have come in at a more important time. Whether it was a prayer, a positive thought, or whatever you shared with me during this process, please know that I needed these way more than I thought I would.

I've been credited with being strong through all of this, but even I have to admit, even the strongest of people sometimes need people pushing them through this.

Little did I realize how much I would need it myself.

If you've ever been through the demands of a long recovery process from anything, whether it be what I suffered, cancer, etc., you know that processes like these can take a lot out of you.

I remember the day the first phase of my implant was complete. I wanted to just cry while I was at the office knowing that finally there was some hope that an end was near.

There are so many moments where I just wished the process could've been done faster. Those are the moments that make your head want to explode.

But what kept me sane through it all? Everything that I value in my life.

I know I would've appreciated a better result after the fall, but because I went through this, I'm a stronger man. A stronger man with a new appreciation for the life I've been unbelievably blessed to live.

Now is the time for me to leave it behind, and move forward.

Just know that there are just two words for all of you who've had my back from day one to anyone who had my back since then: Thank You.

Down, but not done: Why there is still reason to believe the Penguins have more Cups to come

Yes, it's painful.

The thought of seeing the Penguins not lift the Stanley Cup for a third straight year will be fresh in your thoughts likely until the black and gold take the ice again in September at the UPMC Lemieux Complex for training camp, and before they eventually return to PPG Paints Arena.

But think about this: how many teams would've loved to have traded positions with the Pittsburgh Penguins the last two years? That answer is 29.

Since Malkin's rookie season in the 2006-2007 season, Penguins fans have had to book events around watching them play in the playoffs. Another mark that fans of other teams envy.

How fortunate has Pittsburgh been to be a part of five Eastern Conference Finals, Four Stanley Cup Finals and to lift 35 pounds of silver three times?

What this team accomplished over the last years, going from floundering in the middle of December 2015, firing a coach to a back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion is nothing to be mad about.

That's something to celebrate, especially when the last repeat was completed in 1998, at the Washington Capitals expense by the Detroit Red Wings.

(Ironically, Washington has been a victim of the last three repeats on at least one occasion).

Much to the frustration of Penguins fans, the Capitals who have been a playoff joke at the end of a series for the last 24 years for Pittsburgh hockey fans were bound to win one. Ovechkin (who arguably looked like he may never see the Eastern Conference Final once as a Capital, and as a result may have needed to be traded elsewhere if he ever wanted to win a title) will now for the first time in his career know what it's like to be on the doorstep of a championship.

The best part for Penguins fans is that this is far from the last days they will see this current crop in contention for Lord Stanley's hardware.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Matt Murray will still be well in their primes, while rising stars including Jake Guentzel, Brian Rust, and Tom Kuhnackl haven't reached their primes yet.

Don't forget that guys like Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin have proven they're just getting started.

Rust and Kuhnackl, along with Jamie Oleksiak, and Riley Sheahan will all face decisions this offseason in restricted free agency and almost certainly all of them will get much deserved raises.

Don't forget some of the faces who were added along the way including Carl Hagelin who was the man who last knocked out the Penguins in the playoffs before joining them for two championships.

It also helps that the bulk of the team returning will be under the age of 35, and the core will be younger than that.

They need work, but so does everyone else that is now preparing for the 2018-19 season, and same will hold true for the four teams who will be playing for the conference titles once their years are over.

Blue line has to be a point of emphasis for Jim Rutherford's crew after failing to address it following the acquisition of Derick Brassard at the trade deadline that resulted in the loss of Ian Cole.

But think about how much this team accomplished over the course of the last three seasons, and just how far it had to come to reach the level of success it had.

Not to mention the history that was against them.

It's been 28 years since a team won three championships in four years, that feat was done by the Edmonton Oilers before Badger Bob Johnson and the 1990-91 Pittsburgh Penguins lifted their first banner.

With the right moves, there's no reason to believe that the Penguins can't be the team that breaks that drought. There are pieces there to do it.

Path to the EL Championship: Altoona vs. Bowie

It's Altoona vs. Bowie for the Eastern League's Western Division Championship...again.

These two teams last met in the postseason two years ago as the Curve and Baysox met in a series that went the way of the Baysox, 3-1, en route to their first ever league championship.

The rosters are virtually new for each team, but there will be plenty of intrigue with this series.

Bowie is led by Eastern League batting champion, Garabez Rosa, who hit .310 with 14 home runs and a league best 91 RBIs. Rosa also leads the EL in hits with 162.

Their lineup boasts three of the Orioles top 10 prospects including outfielder Austin Hays who has .330 since he was promoted from high-A Frederick in late June. Shortstop Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Cedric Mullins. 

The Baysox pitching staff boasts two of the Eastern League's top pitchers in MLB Pipeline's No. 23 prospect Yefry Ramirez who amassed an impressive 15-3 record with a 3.47 ERA and 1.24 WHIP between Bowie and Trenton.

Lucas Long finished third in ERA at 2.95 and went 9-6 with a 1.22 WHIP. David Hess (MLB Pipeline's No. 27 prospect), who is 11-9 with a 3.85 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18.

Meanwhile, the Curve have lost key pieces through the season including Jodan Luplow and Edwin Espinal, but they've answered the bell with their pitching staff.

Three of the Curve's top pitchers are among the top 10 in the Eastern League in ERA (Austin Coley (3.01 - 4th), Tanner Anderson (3.38 - 5th), Alex McRae (10th - 3.61).

Recently, number two prospect Mitch Keller was called up late this season and has posted a 2-2 record with a 3.12 ERA in six appearances with a WHIP of 1.04.

Following the promotion of Kevin Newman to AAA Indianapolis, Cole Tucker (No. 5 MLB Pipeline) has posted a .257 avg. with two homers and 18 RBIs.

Both teams have played around .500 ball in their last 10 games, and both teams were battling it out until Labor Day before the Curve won their finale against Harrisburg while the Baysox came up short against Richmond.

Tale of the Tape
Bowie Offense: Avg. (.283 - 1st) ,  HR (143 - 3rd), BB (429 - T-9th), K (940 - 9th)
Altoona Offense: Avg. (.255 - 8th), HR (99 - 9th), BB (454 - 6th), K (931 - 11th)
Bowie Pitching: ERA (4.10 - 6th), BB (491 - 4th), K (1,097 - T-2nd)
Altoona Pitching: ERA (3.67 - 3rd), BB (467 - 6th), K (1,046 - 5th)

Season Series: Bowie won 14-5
Last Playoff Series: Bowie won 3-1 (2015 Eastern League Western Division Championship Series).
Last Playoff Appearance (Team): Bowie (2015 - Eastern League Champions); Altoona (2016 - Lost Eastern League Western Division Championship Series).

Possible starting pitchers
Bowie: David Hess, John Means, Lucas Long, Yefry Ramirez, Tanner Scott
Altoona: Mitch Keller, J.T. Brubaker, Austin Coley, Alex McRae, Brandon Waddell

Schedule
Game 1: Wednesday at Bowie, 7:05 pm
Game 2: Thursday at Bowie, 7:05 pm
Game 3: Friday at Altoona, 6:00 pm
Game 4: Saturday at Altoona, 6:00 pm*
Game 5: Sunday at Altoona, 1:00 pm*

Eastern Division Championship Series
Game 1: Wednesday at Binghamton, 6:35 pm
Game 2: Thursday at Binghamton, 6:35 pm
Game 3: Friday at Trenton, 7:00 pm
Game 4: Saturday at Trenton, 7:00 pm*
Game 5: Sunday at Trenton, 5:00 pm*

*--If needed

Prediction: Curve in 5
Reason: The Curve pitching staff has been stellar lately, but don't expect the Baysox to not make this one a great series.

Winner will play: Binghamton (they'll beat Trenton in 5).
Reason: This one is hard to predict much like the West, but with the way the pitching has been for Binghamton, as well as their line up, it's hard to ignore the Rumble Ponies.