STANFORD, Calif. – The Penn State baseball team scored in six-straight innings to earn a 15-4 win over Stanford in the series opener on Friday at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. The Nittany Lions took the lead on homers by Bryce Molinaro and Grant Norris and kept adding on to pull away from the Cardinal. Penn State is now 4-1 this season.
Stanford, a 2023 College World Series participant, is ranked 23rd in the NCBWA Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Nittany Lions scored one run in the third, two in the fourth, four in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the seventh and five in the eighth.
Travis Luensmann got the start for the Nittany Lions, tossing five innings. He gave up two runs on four hits. Luensmann struck out two batters and walked four, while forcing seven ground ball outs.
Anthony Steele took over to begin the sixth, firing two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and one walk, while striking out one. Ben DeMell entered to begin the eighth, throwing one inning and allowing two runs. Connor Throneberry fired a scoreless ninth, including a strikeout.
Matt Scott started for Stanford, going four innings. He allowed four runs on four hits, including two homers, while striking out seven and walking five. Trevor Moore threw two innings, giving up six runs on six hits. Ben Reimers threw a scoreless seventh inning before Gavin Nalu took over to begin the eighth. Nalu recorded one out, while allowing three runs. Ryan Speshyock replaced Nalu, giving up two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Jaden Bruno threw one scoreless inning.
The Nittany Lions collected 15 runs on 13 hits and 17 walks. Five Nittany Lions reached base at least four times, eight Nittany Lions reached base at least twice and 10 Nittany Lions reached base at least once. Seven PSU players recorded at least one RBI.
Penn State's 17 walks are its most since at least 2004. The 17 walks are third-most in a Division I game this season, trailing only UCSB's 19 vs Campbell (2/16/24) and North Carolina's 18 vs. Wagner (2/18/24).
Bryce Molinaro reached base five times, including three hits. He had a homer and two RBI to go with three runs. J.T. Marr tallied four hits, including a double, two RBI and a run. Adam Cecere recorded a double, three RBI and two runs, while walking twice and being hit by a pitch. Grant Norris launched a two-run homer, while Bobby Marsh drove in two runs and walked three times. Kyle Hannon registered three RBI and two runs, while drawing two walks. Joe Jaconski walked four times, tallying an RBI and a run.
Stanford tallied four runs on six hits. Jimmy Nati had two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Trevor Haskins and Cort McDonald each had a hit and an RBI.
Stanford got on the board in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Malcolm Moore worked a walk and moved up to second on a single by Nati. Temo Becerra was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jake Sapien held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk to bring home Moore. A walk by Charlie Saum allowed Nati to cross the plate. Stanford led 2-0 through one.
Penn State cut its deficit in half in the third. With one out, Molinaro crushed an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left-center for his first homer as a Nittany Lion. The Blue and White trailed 2-1.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the fourth. With two outs, Marsh drew a walk. Norris followed with a blast over the wall in left. The two-run homer gave Penn State a 3-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, Haskins lifted a fly ball to right. Just in front of the Stanford logo on the wall, Cecere leaped up and snagged it to rob a home run and keep PSU in front.
Penn State added four runs in the fifth. Hannon walked to start the inning. After a pitching change, back-to-back singles by Molinaro and Marr loaded the bases. Cecere ripped a double off the wall in right to bring home Hannon and Molinaro. Three batters later, Marsh roped a single to right to score Marr and Cecere. The Nittany Lions held a 7-2 lead.
The Nittany Lions scored again in the sixth. With one out, Molinaro drew a walk and Marr singled to put runners on the corners. Cecere lifted a fly ball to center for a sac fly as Molinaro scored. Penn State extended its lead to 8-2.
Penn State plated two runs in the seventh. Matt Maloney started the inning with a ground-rule double to left-center. Marsh drew a walk to put runners on first and second. A sac bunt by Norris moved the runners up. Jaconski worked a walk to load the bases before Hannon lined a single to right-center to drive in Maloney and pinch-runner Billy Gerlott. Penn State led 10-2.
The Nittany Lions added five runs in the eighth. Cecere was hit by a pitch and Kelley walked to begin the frame. Two batters later, Gerlott walked to load the bases. With two outs, Jaconski, Hannon and Molinaro each drew bases-loaded walks to score Cecere, Kelley and Gerlott. With his fourth hit of the day, Marr landed a double in left-center to plate Jaconski and Hannon.
Stanford scored two runs in the bottom half of the eighth. Luke Lavin and Brandon Larson worked back-to-back walks before Brady Reynolds singled to load the bases. A groundout to first by MacDonald allowed Lavin to score. Haskins reached on an error as Larson scored on the play. The Nittany Lions held a 15-4 lead.
The Nittany Lions continue the series against the Cardinal on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
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The 2024 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Bryce Molinaro