UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team never trailed in a 3-2 win over No. 17 West Virginia on Tuesday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions took the lead in the first on a homer by Jack Porter and got 4.2 shutout innings from Mason Butash. Penn State improved to 25-14 overall, while West Virginia dropped to 34-5 and snapped its 14-game win streak.
Penn State broke its attendance record with 6,106 fans. It topped the previous record of 5,025 fans against Kent State in 2024. Penn State's 6,106 fans were 113% of the capacity of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park (5,406).
Nittany Lion fans consumed a Dollar Dog Night record 12,112 hot dogs. The previous record was 8,591 hot dogs consumed against Kent State.
PSU fans ate 39,324 hot dogs on Dollar Dog Nights this year through six Dollar Dog Nights.
Penn State earned its first win over a ranked team since May 19, 2023 against No. 20 Maryland (5-3) and its first win over a ranked non-conference opponent since February 17, 2023 at No. 22 Miami (9-5).
PSU pitchers tallied 10 strikeouts on the night.
Mason Butash got the start for the Nittany Lions, working 4.2 shutout innings. He allowed four hits, while posting four strikeouts and walking one batter. He had multiple strikeouts in the third. It was Butash’s longest career start.
Anthony Steele tossed 1.1 shutout innings. He gave up one hit and struck out two. Matthew VanOstenbridge threw one inning. He allowed two runs on two hits and recorded two strikeouts. Ben DeMell worked a scoreless inning and struck out one. Chase Renner picked up the save with a scoreless ninth and struck out the final batter.
Benjamin Hudson started for WVU, going 2.2 innings. He gave up one run on four hits and struck out three, while walking one. Tyler Hutson threw 1.2 frames, allowing two runs (both unearned) on two hits and striking out two. Chase Meyer went two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit and striking out one. Mac Stiffler tossed two scoreless frames and Carson Estridge recorded strikeouts against all three batters he faced.
Penn State collected three runs on seven hits. Jack Porter launched his seventh homer of the season and added a single and two runs. Bryce Molinaro drove in two runs with a single among two hits.
Paxton Kling scored a run but snapped a 28-game reached-base streak, dating back to March 7 against Indiana.
West Virginia plated two runs on seven hits after entering the game ranking 21st in the nation in runs per game (8.8). Spencer Barnett had a double and a two-run homer. Skylar King added two hits.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the first. With two outs, Porter launched a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center. Porter’s seventh homer of the year gave PSU a 1-0 advantage.
Penn State added a pair of runs in the fifth. A grounder by Kling was misplayed to allow him to reach first. Porter sent a single through the left side and a passed ball moved the runners to second and third. Molinaro lined a single into right to bring in Kling and Porter and push the PSU lead to 3-0.
West Virginia cut its deficit in the seventh. With one out, Brodie Kresser held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk. Spencer Barnett lifted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right for a two-run homer. PSU still led, 3-2.
Penn State travels to Los Angeles this weekend, April 25-27, for a three-game Big Ten series against No. 10 UCLA. Friday’s game is set for a 9 p.m. first pitch. Saturday’s start is at 5 p.m. and Sunday’s finale is at 4 p.m. All games will be broadcast on B1G+.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.