LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Penn State baseball team dropped a 6-3 decision in the series finale at No. 15 UCLA on Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Nittany Lions cut their deficit to one in the fourth and sixth innings, but UCLA answered with two runs in the seventh and held on for the victory. Penn State is now 25-17 overall (12-12 Big Ten), while UCLA improved to 32-11 (16-5 Big Ten).
Logan Olson made his seventh start of the season for Penn State, throwing 2.2 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits with one walk. Anthony Steele worked 1.1 innings, giving up one run on three hits. Ben DeMell went two innings, allowing two runs on one hit. He recorded two strikeouts and two walks. Chase Renner fired two scoreless innings and struck out two.
Landon Stump got the start for the Bruins, going 5.1 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out seven. Chris Grothues worked 2.2 scoreless frames. Easton Hawk threw a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit.
Penn State tallied three runs on five hits. Jesse Jaconski collected three hits, including two doubles and an RBI single. Joe Jaconski added a solo homer. Paxton Kling reached base twice, while stealing a base and scoring a run.
Kling’s steal was Penn State’s 90th of the season. PSU is just one steal off of its program record of 91 in 2000.
UCLA posted six runs on nine hits. Roch Cholowsky tallied two hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBI. Dean West added two hits, including a double, and two runs. Mulivai Levu had a two-run double.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the top of the first. With one out, Kling was hit by a pitch. Jack Porter sent a grounder to the opposite side of a shift for a single as Kling hustled to third. Two batters later, Jesse Jaconski shot a grounder into left for a single to bring home Kling. PSU led 1-0.
UCLA responded in the bottom of the first. West led off with a single to right-center. Cholowsky was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Levu lined a double to the gap in right-center to bring home both runners. Roman Martin followed with a single up the middle to plate Levu. UCLA held a 3-1 lead.
Penn State cut its deficit in the fourth. Leading off the inning, Joe Jaconski blasted a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right. Jaconski’s 395-foot homer trimmed the UCLA lead to 3-2.
UCLA added a run in the fifth. Phoenix Call started the frame with a single to center. West bounced a double just inside the first base bag to put runners on second and third. Cholowsky sent a sharp line drive to the left side for a single, allowing Call to score. UCLA pushed its lead to 4-2.
Penn State plated a run in the sixth. With one out, Jesse Jaconski lined a double inside the left-field line. He moved up to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch. PSU trailed 4-3.
The Bruins scored two runs in the seventh. West worked a leadoff walk and stole second. Cholowsky lifted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left-center for a two-run homer. UCLA held a 6-3 lead.
The Nittany Lions welcome Rider on Wednesday for a midweek matchup. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. on country night with a broadcast on B1G+.
Penn State hosts Maryland for a three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on May 2-4. Friday is Alumni Night, including a celebration of Penn State’s 2000 NCAA Super Regional team. Saturday is Backyard Baseball Day, celebrating the return of the popular video game. Sunday is ALS Awareness Day, including a visit from Pete Frates’ family who helped to start the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.