STANFORD, Calif. – The Penn State baseball team posted another impressive performance at the plate in a 13-2 win at Stanford on Saturday at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. The Nittany Lions clinched the series with a mercy-rule win, with the game ending after seven innings. Penn State scored three or more runs in three different innings to improve to 5-1 on the season.
Stanford is now 1-5 this season after playing in the 2023 College World Series. The Cardinal is ranked 23rd in the NCBWA and Coaches Polls.
This marks the first time Stanford has lost back-to-back home games by 10+ runs to the same opponent since at least 1959.
Penn State became the first team to defeat Stanford by a 10+ run margin in back-to-back games since Florida State in the 2012 Tallahassee Super Regional.
Including Friday's 15-4 win, Penn State has won back-to-back games by a 10+ run margin for the first time since April 30-May 1, 2010 against Michigan State (18-7, 22-5).
The Nittany Lions also won by a 10+ run margin in back-to-back road games for the first time since March 29-30, 2003 against Purdue (13-3, 14-4).
Penn State has scored 12+ runs in three-straight games (12 vs. Army, 15 at Stanford, 13 at Stanford) for the first time since April 4-7, 2000 (13 vs. Cornell, 12 vs. Cornell, 19 at Michigan State).
The Nittany Lions scored 12+ runs in three-straight non-home games for the first time since March 23-25, 1986 (21 at Towson, 13 at Gettysburg, 12 at Gettysburg).
Jaden Henline got the start for the Nittany Lions. He went four innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Henline struck out two batters. Henline earned his first win of the season.
Mason Horwat took over to begin the fifth and closed out the game to earn his first career save. Horwat threw three scoreless innings, giving up three hits, while striking out one.
Christian Lim started for the Cardinal, tossing 4.1 innings. He gave up four runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out six. Kassius Thomas allowed six runs over 1.2 innings. Nathan Fleischli threw one inning, giving up three runs.
Penn State plated 13 runs on 11 hits. Grant Norris tallied three hits, including a three-run homer, four RBI and three runs. Adam Cecere collected two hits, including a two-run homer, and scored twice. Bryce Molinaro crushed a solo homer and drove in two runs. Joe Jaconski had a double and two RBI.
Stanford scored two runs on seven hits. Brandon Larson hit a two-run homer, while Jimmy Nati went three-for-three and scored a run.
Penn State took the lead in the second. Cecere and Tayven Kelley were hit by pitches to begin the frame. A lineout to right by Bobby Marsh allowed Cecere to move up to third. On the first pitch he saw, Norris launched a fly ball over the wall in center for a three-run homer as he went yard for the second-straight day.
Stanford got two runs back in the bottom of the second. After a leadoff single by Nati, Larson lifted a fly ball over the wall in left for a two-run homer. Penn State led 3-2 through two innings.
The Nittany Lions added five runs in the fifth. With one out, J.T. Marr lined a single to center. On an 0-2 pitch, Cecere crushed a line drive over the wall in left for a two-run homer. Kelley followed with a single to right-center before Marsh was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before a single to left by Norris drove in Kelley. On the next pitch, Norris stole second and an errant throw allowed Marsh to score. Kevin Michaels shot a grounder through the right side to drive in Norris and extend Penn State's lead to 8-2.
Penn State tacked on another run in the sixth. Leading off the inning, Molinaro blasted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right for a solo homer. The Nittany Lions led 9-2.
The Nittany Lions plated four runs in the seventh. Marsh and Norris began the inning with back-to-back singles before Michaels was hit to load the bases. Jaconski followed with a line drive off the wall in right for a double as Marsh and Norris scored. Kyle Hannon bounced a grounder up the middle to bring home Jaconski before Molinaro lifted a sac fly to center to score Jaconski. Penn State pushed its lead to 13-2.
The Nittany Lions' series against the Cardinal concludes on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
For updates on the Penn State baseball team, please follow @pennstatebase on X and Instagram.
The 2024 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Adam Cecere