CARY, N.C. – The Penn State baseball team dropped a 6-5 decision against Harvard on Sunday at Coleman Field at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The Nittany Lions took a 5-4 lead into the top of the ninth, but the Crimson scored two runs and closed out the victory. Penn State is now 9-5 this season.
Jaden Henline got the start for the Nittany Lions, going 4.2 innings. He gave up four runs on five hits. Henline struck out one batter and walked three.
Chic DeGaetano tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief. Will Perkowski entered to begin the seventh and fired a scoreless frame with a strikeout. Ben DeMell threw two-thirds of an innings, giving up two hits. David Lee worked 1.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits.
Callan Fang started for Harvard, throwing six innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits. Fang registered seven strikeouts and one walk. Tanner Smith picked up the win, going three innings and allowing one run.
Penn State tallied five runs on seven hits. Joe Jaconski drove in three runs, including a two-run homer. Tayven Kelley tripled and scored two runs. J.T. Marr added an RBI single.
With his triple today, Kelley collected the 12th triple of his career, moving into a tie for third all-time at Penn State with Michael Campo (1997-00) and Jordan Steranka (2009-12).
Harvard scored six runs on 12 hits. Jake Berger had two hits, including a double, and three RBI. Matt Giberti doubled twice and scored two runs.
Harvard got on the board in the top of the second. Berger started the inning with a double down the right field line. Chris Snopek worked a walk. Peter Messervy bounced into a fielder's choice but a throwing error allowed Berger to score on the play. Tyler Shulman was hit by a pitch and Sawyer Feller singled to center to load the bases. Max Lane held off on a close 3-2 pitch for a walk as Messervy crossed the plate. Harvard led 2-0.
The Nittany Lions tied the game in the third. With one out, a groundball by Kelley was bobbled for an error. On a 1-1 pitch, Jaconski crushed a fly ball over the wall in right, measured at 413 feet. The game was even at 2-2.
Penn State added a run in the fourth. Bobby Marsh led off the inning with a single to right. Matt Maloney followed with a double to the wall in center as Marsh moved up to third. Grant Norris lifted a fly ball to left for a sac fly as Marsh scored from third. Penn State led 3-2.
Harvard re-took the lead in the top of the fifth. Lane singled to start the frame. A bunt single by Giberti put runners on first and second before a sac bunt moved Lane to third and Giberti to second. Two batters later, Berger lifted a fly ball to the warning track in right, it was caught but resulted in a two-run sac fly.
Penn State answered in the bottom half. Kelley led off the inning with a triple off the wall in right-center. Jaconski followed with a sac fly to center to bring home Kelley. The game was tied at 4-4.
The Nittany Lions re-took the lead in the seventh. Kyle Hannon dropped a double inside the left-field line to lead off the inning. A sac bunt by Billy Gerlott moved Hannon to third. Pinch-hitter Marr lined a single into right to bring home Hannon. Penn State held a 5-4 lead.
Harvard took the lead in the top of the ninth. Giberti started the inning with a double to right. Two batters later, Ben Rounds reached on a single through the left side. Berger followed with his own single to left to drive in Giberti. A single by Snopek brought home Rounds for the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the ninth, with one out, Kevin Michaels reached on a walk. However, pinch-runner Derek Cease was thrown out attempting to steal. A strikeout ended the inning.
The Nittany Lions open their home schedule against UMass Lowell next weekend, March 15-17, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The series begins on Friday at 4 p.m., continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
All home games this season are free admission for all ages.
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.
Tayven Kelley