UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Medlar Field at Lubrano Park had a different aroma in the air this past weekend as the Nittany Lions returned home to a faithful Penn State crowd for the first time in almost three years.
Penn State didn't let the Happy Valley faithful down either.
The Nittany Lions came from behind to win, 6-4, on Friday night against Milwaukee. Catcher Matt Wood continued to shine in his junior campaign, batting three-for-three, driving in two runs.
Pitcher Travis Luensmann, who transferred to Penn State this Fall from South Carolina, pitched three shutout innings before being replaced by Tyler Shingledecker in the fifth inning.
Saturday's win spotlighted freshman Tommy Molsky, who got the starting nod on the mound. He lasted three and one-third innings, fanning three and allowing one earned run.
"Two of my first four starts I walked the very first batter of the game," Molsky said following Saturday's contest. "Today I turned that around and started the first inning with my first scoreless inning as a starter. I want to take that same intensity and competitiveness into every other inning. Not trying to walk people, and get that leadoff out."
However, the game came all the way down to the wire before Penn State escaped with a 4-3 win, much to the credit of their bullpen arms.
Junior Jordan Morales and senior Steven Miller combined for 5 2/3 innings, fanning nine Milwaukee batters, and walking only one.
"We like Jordan as a good matchup after Tommy so we felt that was the right time to make the move. Then Steven Miller did a great job coming in and backing him up," said head coach Rob Cooper.
While the Nittany Lions had success Friday and Saturday, a dreary Sunday afternoon spoiled some of the weekend for them. The Nittany Lions were shutout 12-0 on a day they'd like to forget.
"I think you pretty much have to wipe it, get it out of your memory, take what you can and move forward," graduate Cole Bartels said.
The Nittany Lions on the field couldn't help but notice the renewed energy that fans brought to the stadium in their home opening weekend. After being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and only having family in the seats during 2021, it was a refreshing sight to see blue and white line the seats of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
"I love playing here, it was a great atmosphere and the students were unbelievable. The thing that sticks out the most is that our guys couldn't stop talking about the atmosphere Friday and Saturday," Cooper said.
"I was pretty surprised with the show out that we had Friday and Saturday, pretty happy to get back here and play. [Medlar Field at Lubrano Park] is such a nice stadium," Bartels said. "Thank you to all the fans that came out and supported us."
The Nittany Lions will look for a bounce back win when they host Youngstown State at 6 p.m. tonight.
"We need to be ready to fight, because they're going to come in here and try to get that win," Bartels said.
"We've got Youngstown State, that's all we have to get ready to worry about right now. We've got to take the really good stuff we've been doing the last four games and get back to who we are," Cooper said.
