LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Penn State baseball team fell on a walk-off, 7-6, at No. 15 UCLA on Friday evening at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Nittany Lions took the lead with four runs in the top of the ninth, including a go-ahead single by Jesse Jaconski, but the Bruins responded with two runs in the bottom of the ninth. The Nittany Lions are now 25-15 overall (12-10 Big Ten), while UCLA improved to 30-11 (14-5 Big Ten).
Ryan DeSanto made the start for the Nittany Lions, working six innings. He allowed four runs on four hits, while striking out five and walking three. DeSanto held UCLA without a run over his final five innings and allowed just two batters to reach base. He retired the final seven batters he faced.
Anthony Steele tossed two innings. He allowed one run on one hit and struck out four batters. Dimond Loosli went one-third of an inning, giving up an unearned run. Ben DeMell threw one-third of an inning, allowing an unearned run.
Ian May got the start for UCLA, going 4.1 innings. He gave up two runs on one hit. May posted three strikeouts and four walks. CJ Bott worked two-thirds of an inning without giving up a run. Chris Grothues threw two scoreless innings and struck out three. August Souza threw a scoreless eighth. Justin Lee recorded one out, while giving up three runs. Easton Hawk threw two-thirds of an inning and gave up a run.
Penn State collected six runs on four hits and 10 walks. Jesse Jaconski tallied two hits, a steal and drove in three runs. Jack Porter added a two-run single, a steal and scored a run. Paxton Kling drew three walks and was hit by a pitch, while scoring twice and stealing two bases.
With two steals by Kling and one each by Jaconski and Porter, Penn State now has 89 steals as a team this season. The program record is 91 steals in 2000.
UCLA recorded seven runs on seven hits. Roch Cholowsky had two hits, including a two-run homer. AJ Salgado added a two-run homer and drove in a third run.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead. With one out in the first, Kling held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk. Porter followed with a walk before Kling and Porter stole second and third. Jesse Jaconski lined a single into left to bring in Kling and Porter. PSU held a 2-0 advantage.
UCLA responded with four runs in the bottom half of the first. Dean West held off on a 3-2 pitch for a leadoff walk. Cholowsky blasted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in center for a two-run homer. Two batters later, Roman Martin worked a walk. Salgado sent a fly ball over the wall in right-center. Salgado’s homer gave the Bruins a 4-2 lead.
UCLA added a run in the eighth. Cholowsky lined a single to right. Mulivai Levu was hit by a pitch before Cholowsky stole third to put runners on the corners. Salgado bounced a grounder to the left side for a fielder’s choice, allowing Cholowsky to score and extend UCLA’s lead to 5-2.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the ninth. Nate Voss was hit by a pitch to start the frame. Pinch-hitter Matt Maloney worked a walk. Two batters later, Ryan Weingartner drew a walk. After a pitching change, Kling was hit by a pitch to allow Voss to score. Porter ripped a single up the middle, off the pitcher and into left field, to bring in Maloney and Weingartner. Jesse Jaconski sent a sharp grounder through the left side to drive in Kling for the go-ahead run. PSU led 6-5.
In the bottom of the ninth, with one out, Blake Balsz hit a grounder off the pitcher for a single and went to second on a throwing error to first. Aidan Espinoza worked a walk to put runners on first and second. West dropped a single into left while an error on the play allowed pinch-runner Toussaint Bythewood to score. After Cholowsky was intentionally walked, Penn State brought in a fifth infielder with bases loaded and one out. A grounder up the middle by Levu was snagged by a diving Derek Cease, who flipped to second for an out, but Levu beat the throw to first as pinch-runner Logan de Groot crossed the plate for the winning run.
The series continues on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET and concludes on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on B1G+.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.