UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team rallied for nine runs in the eighth to complete the comeback and secure a 21-14 win over UMass Lowell on Saturday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The River Hawks scored nine in the top of the first, but the Nittany Lions answered with six in the opening frame and kept chipping away until getting the go-ahead run, and more, across in the eighth. Penn State won the series finale to clinch the series and improve to 11-6 on the season.
The Nittany Lions now have series wins over Stanford, Davidson, Harvard and UMass Lowell to start the 2024 campaign.
Penn State's 21 runs are its most in a game since 27 against Michigan State on May 1, 2021.
The 35 combined runs were the most in a Penn State game since April 10, 1998 against Northwestern, a 20-18 loss.
Penn State tallied 20 hits, its first time with 20+ hits in a game since March 28, 2023 against Pitt.
The Nittany Lions were an incredible 14-of-22 at the plate with runners in scoring position.
The Nittany Lions used six pitchers. Jaden Henline got the start, but allowed nine runs on 10 hits through two-thirds of an innings. Frankie Sanchez helped to settle things down, giving up one run and striking out two in 2.1 frames. Anthony Steele went one inning, allowing two runs on one hit. Ben DeMell tossed a scoreless fifth inning.
Connor Throneberry picked up his first win of the year, going three innings and giving up just one run while striking out three. David Lee finished the game in the ninth.
UMass Lowell used seven pitchers, starting with Alfred Mucciarone, who allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning. Miles Cota and Zach Fortuna combined to allow two runs (one earned) over the next 5.1 frames. Frankie Venezia gave up four runs in one inning, before Kevin Zarnoch gave up three runs without recording an out. Jacob Jette allowed six runs over two-thirds of an inning before Dylan Bedder got the final out of the eighth.
Penn State's day at the plate was highlighted by four players with three or more hits and five players with multi-hit games. J.T. Marr tallied four hits, while driving in three runs and scoring three times. Bobby Marsh contributed four hits, two doubles, three RBI and a run. Joe Jaconski drove in four runs out of the leadoff spot, including a three-run double. Bryce Molinaro had three hits, including two doubles, an RBI and four runs. Billy Gerlott tallied three hits, including a double, two RBI and two runs. Matt Maloney added two hits and two RBI, while Tayven Kelley had a two-run single.
UMass Lowell scored 14 runs on 16 hits. Alex Luccini collected four hits, including two doubles and a homer, five RBI and two runs. Trey Brown had four hits, while driving in two and scoring three.
The River Hawks jumped out to a nine-run lead in the top of the first. The inning included RBI doubles by Luccini, Ryan Proto, Conor Kelly and Fritz Genther. Brandon Fish and Brown each had an RBI single before Luccini launched a three-run homer to left-center.
Penn State responded with six runs in the bottom half. Jaconski was hit by a pitch and Adam Cecere walked before Molinaro doubled to right to bring home Jaconski. A wild pitch allowed Cecere to score and Molinaro to move to third before a single by Marr plated Molinaro. Following a single by Marsh, Maloney singled up the middle to bring home Marr. Grant Norris reached on a fielder's choice before an RBI double by Gerlott to the wall in right-center. Derek Cease dropped a single into left to plate Gerlott for the final run of the inning. PSU trailed 9-6.
UMass Lowell added a run in the third on an RBI double by Luccini and two more runs in the fourth, including an RBI single by River Hart. The River Hawks led 12-6 through four.
The Nittany Lions chipped away with two in the fifth. Molinaro led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Marr. Marsh lined a double to the gap in right-center to bring home Molinaro. Three batters later, a throwing error on a pickoff attempt allowed Marr to score. Penn State trailed 12-8.
The River Hawks extended their lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Brown, plating Fish.
Penn State responded with four runs in the seventh. Marr started the inning with a single. Two batters later, Maloney walked. Gerlott lined a single into left to score Marr. Pinch-hitter Michael DiMartini drew a walk to load the bases. On a 1-2 pitch, Jaconski launched a fly ball off the wall in center to clear the bags and to bring PSU within one, 13-12.
The Nittany Lions exploded for nine runs in the eighth. Molinaro singled and Marr walked to start the frame. A double to left-center by Marsh brought home Molinaro. An intentional walk to Norris loaded the bases. Kelley then grounded a single through the left side to drive in Marr and Marsh and take a 15-13 lead.
The inning continued as Kevin Michaels was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jaconski lifted a fly ball to deep center for a sac fly as Norris scored. Cecere lined a single out of the reach of the leaping shortstop as Kelley crossed the plate. After a walk by Molinaro, Marr drove a single to left to bring home two runs. Marsh collected his second hit of the inning on an RBI single to left to score Molinaro before Maloney had his own single to left to bring home pinch-runner Adin Zorn.
UMass Lowell got one run in the top of the ninth. After singles by Brown and Luccini, a grounder by Carlos Martinez was misplayed to allow Brown to score.
Penn State continues its homestand with two midweek contests. On Tuesday, the Nittany Lions take on St. Bonaventure at 5 p.m. for the first Dollar Dog Night of the season. On Wednesday, PSU welcomes Bucknell for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
All home games 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.
Bryce Molinaro