TYSONS, Va. – The Penn State baseball team rallied with two runs in the seventh and four in the eighth but fell short in its comeback attempt, falling 14-10 at Georgetown on Tuesday at Capital One Park. Joe Jaconski, Bryce Molinaro and Ryan Weingartner all homered, but PSU dropped to 11-3 on the year.
Freshman Harrison Lollin got the start for the Nittany Lions, going two innings. He allowed five runs on four hits. Lollin tallied two strikeouts and three walks. Mason Butash went one-third of an inning, giving up six runs on five hits. Ben DeMell threw 1.1 frames, allowing one run and striking out three.
Connor Throneberry went 1.1 scoreless innings, while striking out one. Chase Renner fired a shutout inning and struck out two. Will Andrews gave up one run in an inning of work. Matthew VanOstenbridge went one inning, giving up one run.
Johan Franco got the start for Georgetown, tossing four innings. He gave up one run on one hit, while striking out three and walking two. Kai Leckszas allowed two unearned runs in one inning. Marshall Whitmer threw 1.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits. Nadell Booker allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning. Jack Volo fired two scoreless innings and struck out five.
Penn State tallied 10 runs on eight hits. Bryce Molinaro and Ryan Weingartner each had two hits, including a homer, and two RBI. Joe Jaconski added a solo homer and scored two runs. Matt Maloney had a two-run double and scored twice.
The Hoyas collected 14 runs on 15 hits. Kavi Caster went four-for-four with a double and three RBI. Ashtin Gilio homered and drove in three runs. Blake Schaaf notched three hits, including a triple, an RBI and four runs.
Georgetown got on the board in the first. Keith Savoy and Caster worked back-to-back walks. Jeremy Sheffield bounced a single through the middle to bring in Savoy and move Caster to third. A wild pitch allowed Caster to cross the plate. Georgetown led 2-0.
The Hoyas added three runs in the second. Noah Leib was hit by a pitch to start the frame and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A single by Jaden Sheffield placed runners on the corners. Schaaf followed with a single to left to bring home Leib. After a wild pitch moved runners up to second and third, a walk by Dylan Larkins loaded the bases. Savoy bounced into a fielder’s choice, but allowed Sheffield to score. Caster followed with a single to left to drive in Schaaf. Georgetown held a 5-0 lead.
Georgetown plated six runs in the third. Gilio led off the inning with a homer to center. Lieb and Jaden Sheffield singled before Schaaf was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brian Depman was hit by a pitch to bring in Lieb and a single by Larkins brought in Sheffield. Two batters later, Caster lined a single to center to plate Schaaf. Gilio added two more RBI on a single to left-center to push the Hoyas’ lead to 11-0.
The Nittany Lions got a run back in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Joe Jaconski blasted a solo homer. His 390-foot shot cut the PSU deficit to 11-1.
Georgetown answered with a run in the bottom half. With one out, Schaaf reached on an infield single. He stole second and third. After a walk by Larkins put runners on the corners, a steal play resulted in Schaaf scoring to push the Hoyas’ lead to 12-1.
Penn State scored a pair of runs in the fifth. Jack Porter started the inning with a single into left. On a fielder’s choice by Maloney, the throw went into the PSU dugout to allow Maloney to move up to second. A Mercado grounder found its way into left-center to bring in Maloney. A single by Weingartner put runners on the corners before a passed ball allowed Mercado to score. PSU trailed 12-3.
The Nittany Lions added a run in the sixth on a solo homer by Molinaro to right-center. His third of the year trimmed the PSU deficit to 12-4.
Penn State plated two runs in the seventh. With one out, Mercado reached on an infield single. Weingartner followed by lifting a fly ball over the wall in right-center. PSU trailed 12-6.
Georgetown responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh. After a walk by Savoy, Caster sent a line drive into left for a double as Savoy scored from first. Georgetown led 13-6.
Penn State closed the gap with four runs in the eighth. Joe Jaconski was hit by a pitch before Cole Wagner walked and Porter was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Maloney followed with a double into left to bring home Jaconski and Wagner. Jesse Jaconski was hit by a pitch. After a pitching change, Paxton Kling held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk to bring in Porter. Molinaro followed with a line-drive single into left to plate Jesse Jaconski. PSU trailed 13-10.
Georgetown added a run in the bottom of the eighth. Schaaf led off the inning with a triple off the wall in center. Depman lifted a sac fly to right to bring home Schaaf and extend the Hoyas’ lead to 14-10.
The Nittany Lions conclude the two-game series against the Hoyas on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Penn State visits Northwestern for a three-game Big Ten series next weekend, beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.