The triple play (making three outs on one defensive play) is one of the rarest occurrences in baseball. For example, it’s happened just 692 times in MLB history, going all the way back to 1876. In the 2000s, only 35 total triple plays (or 3.5 triple plays per season) were turned in the majors.
Well, in college baseball on Friday against the Michigan State Spartans, the Penn State Nittany Lions turned two triple plays, in one game. And more specifically, two triple plays over just four innings, as they turned one triple play in the fourth inning, and another triple play in the eighth inning.
Turning two triple plays in one game had actually happened once before in NCAA Division I baseball, and not too long ago, even. The Gonzaga Bulldogs pulled off the amazing feat in 2006 against the Washington State Cougars.
And it’s even happened at the major league level once, as the Minnesota Twins turned two triple plays against the Boston Red Sox in 1990:
As for Penn State, somehow they still ended up losing that game to Michigan State by the score of 4-2, but as CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa said, “No one will remember that, though.”
