PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Penn State baseball team earned a 7-5 win over Rutgers in a back-and-forth series opener at Bainton Field. After the Nittany Lions took the lead in the seventh, Rutgers tied the game in the eighth. However, Penn State re-took the lead on a two-run double by Jack Porter in the ninth. Penn State improved to 28-19 overall (14-14 Big Ten), while Rutgers dropped to 25-25 overall (12-13 Big Ten).
Penn State picked up its seventh Big Ten road win of the season, its most since winning seven Big Ten road games in 2012. PSU has won more than seven Big Ten road games in four previous seasons (8 in 2005; 9 in 2004; 9 in 2007; 10 in 1996).
Ryan DeSanto made his 13th start on the mound for the Nittany Lions, throwing 4.2 innings. He allowed four runs on six hits. DeSanto recorded four strikeouts and four walks. He held Rutgers scoreless through the first four innings.
Dimond Loosli went 1.1 scoreless frames, giving up two hits and a walk. Anthony Steele threw two-thirds of an innings, allowing one run. Ben DeMell worked 1.1 scoreless frames and tallied three strikeouts. Chase Renner earned the save, tossing a scoreless ninth and notching three strikeouts.
Landon Mack got the start for Rutgers, going 6.2 innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out seven without walking a batter. Quinn Berglin threw two innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Hunter Hoxie walked the only batter he faced. Jordan Falco got the final out of the ninth with a strikeout.
Penn State collected seven runs on 12 hits. Nine Nittany Lions recorded at least one hit. Jesse Jaconski tallied two hits, including a solo homer, and scored twice. Jack Porter added a two-run double, while Nate Voss had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Paxton Kling contributed two hits, including an RBI single, and Derek Cease had a double and scored three times.
Rutgers tallied five runs on 11 hits. Yomar Carreras led the Scarlet Knights with two hits, including a grand slam. Trevor Cohen recorded three hits, including a double, while Ty Doucette had two hits and scored a run.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the second. Jesse Jaconski shot a groundball to the left side and reached on an infield single. Joe Jaconski followed with a single through the right side as Jesse hustled to third. Voss lifted a fly ball to left for a sac fly to bring in Jesse. PSU led 1-0.
Penn State added a run in the third. Cease lined a double inside the right foul line to begin the frame. Ryan Weingartner bounced a grounder to the left side and Cease beat the throw to third to put runners on the corners. Kling smacked a line drive to center for a sac fly to drive in Cease. The Nittany Lions held a 2-0 advantage.
The Scarlet Knights took the lead in the fifth. With one out, Doucette shot a grounder through the right side for a single. Cohen worked a walk before a fielder’s choice by Peyton Bonds left runners on the corners. Pablo Santos drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Carreras lifted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left for a grand slam. Rutgers led 4-2.
Penn State re-took the lead in the top of the seventh. Jesse Jaconski blasted a 2-1 pitch over the wall in right to start the inning. Two batters later, Voss lined a single to left. Matt Maloney followed with a single to right to put runners on first and second. A fielder’s choice by Cease left runners on the corners. Cease stole second before Weingartner lined a single to center to bring in Voss and Cease. The Nittany Lions went ahead, 5-4.
Rutgers tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Santos worked a leadoff walk and moved up to second on a groundout. Santos went to third on a wild pitch. Matt Chatelle sent a single through the middle to bring in Santos and even the game at 5-5.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the top of the ninth. Cease held off on a 3-1 pitch for a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Kling lined a single into right to put runners on first and second. Porter lined a 1-0 pitch into the corner in left for a double as Cease and Kling hustled home and gave PSU a 7-5 lead.
The series continues on Saturday at 6 p.m. and concludes on Sunday at 2 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on B1G+.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.