UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team earned an 8-4 win over Maryland in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Nate Voss, Derek Cease and Cohl Mercado combined for six hits and five RBI at the bottom of the PSU order to boost the Nittany Lions to their 13th Big Ten victory.
Penn State improved to 27-19 overall (13-14 Big Ten), while Maryland dropped to 22-27 overall (8-16 Big Ten).
The game included an hour-and-58-minute rain delay in the top of the seventh.
Mason Butash earned the start for the Nittany Lions, working 3.2 innings. He allowed two runs on four hits. Butash recorded three strikeouts and walked two batters.
Matthew VanOstenbridge went one inning, allowing no runs or hits. VanOstenbridge struck out one and walked two batters. Anthony Steele worked 1.2 innings, giving up two runs on one hit and one walk, while striking out two. Mason Horwat went 1.2 shutout innings and struck out two. Dimond Loosli fired a scoreless ninth inning and struck out one.
Omar Melendez got the start for Maryland, going five innings. He allowed six runs (two earned) on eight hits. He recorded one strikeout and two walks. Jake Yeager threw one scoreless inning. Jack Wren went two innings, giving up two runs on three hits.
Penn State plated eight runs on 12 hits. Nate Voss recorded three hits, including a double and a triple, two RBI and two runs. Derek Cease added two hits and two RBI, while Ryan Weingartner had a two-run double. Jesse Jaconski notched two hits, including an RBI single.
After Joe Jaconski’s steal in the fifth, Penn State has four players (Ryan Weingartner, 26; Paxton Kling, 14; Cole Wagner, 11; Joe Jaconski, 10) with 10+ steals in a season for the first time since 1994 (Dave Hall, 13; Lance Rathmell, 12; Ryan Wheeler, 11; Kirk Rentschler; 10).
Maryland tallied four runs on six hits. Hollis Porter collected three hits, including a two-run homer, while Chris Hacopian added two hits and his own two-run homer.
The Terrapins got on the board in the first. With one out, Hacopian worked a walk. He stole second before Porter lifted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right for a two-run homer. Maryland led 2-0.
The Nittany Lions responded in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Jack Porter reached on an error. Bryce Molinaro followed with a single to left to put runners on first and second. Jesse Jaconski smacked a single into left to bring in Porter. PSU trailed 2-1.
Penn State tallied three runs in the fourth. With one out, Joe Jaconski reached on an error. Voss roped a single to right-center. Cease smacked a single into right to bring in Jaconski and move Voss to third. A fielder’s choice on a bunt by Cohl Mercado resulted in Voss being tagged out at the plate. Weingartner then sent a fly ball to the wall in left-center for a double as Cease and Mercado scored. PSU took a 4-2 lead.
The Nittany Lions added two runs in the fifth. With two outs, Joe Jaconski worked a walk. He stole second before Voss sent a fly ball off the wall in left and hustled to third for a triple as Jaconski scored. Cease followed with a single through the middle to bring home Voss. Penn State extended its lead to 6-2.
Maryland plated two runs in the seventh. With one out, Brayden Martin worked a walk. Hacopian smacked a line drive over the wall in left for a two-run homer. Penn State led 6-4.
Penn State extended its lead in the bottom half. Jesse Jaconski started the frame with a single to left and moved up to second on a groundout. Voss’ third hit of the day was a double down the line in left as Jaconski scored. Two batters later, Mercado lined a single to left as Voss hustled home. PSU pushed its lead to 8-4.
The Nittany Lions finish Big Ten action next weekend, May 9-11, at Rutgers. Friday and Saturday are set for 6 p.m. starts, while Sunday is a 2 p.m. first pitch. All games will be broadcast on B1G+.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.