DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Penn State baseball team fell 14-2 at Davidson on Saturday at Wilson Field. The Wildcats took the lead with six runs in the first and added two runs in each of the next four innings to earn a win in seven innings. The Nittany Lions are now 5-3 this season.
Travis Luensmann got the start for the Nittany Lions, throwing two-thirds of an inning. He allowed six runs on two hits and five walks. Matt Morash finished the first and went 2.1 frames, giving up four runs on four hits. Morash struck out two and walked one.
James Lordi took over to begin the fourth, going two innings. Lordi gave up four runs and five hits. He struck out two batters and walked one. Will Perkowski worked a scoreless seventh, including a strikeout.
Wilson Perkins made the start for Davidson, working six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits. Perkins recorded eight strikeouts and a walk. Jason Ban tossed a scoreless seventh.
The Nittany Lions had two runs on seven hits. Grant Norris recorded two hits, including a double. Kyle Hannon doubled and scored, while J.T. Marr had a single and drove in a run. Bobby Marsh tallied an RBI single.
Hannon added a stolen base, his 38th career steal to break a tie for sixth all-time at Penn State with Dave Hall (37; 1990-94).
Davidson scored 14 runs on 11 hits. Jacob Friend collected two hits, including a homer, two RBI and three runs. Michael O'Shaughnessy and Jake Wilhoit each had a homer and three RBI, while Wilhoit scored twice. Eli Putnam had two hits, including a double, and scored three times.
Penn State got on the board in the top of the first. With one out, Hannon lined a double to left. Bryce Molinaro worked a walk and on the last pitch of the at-bat, Hannon stole third. Marr followed with a single to right to bring home Hannon. The Nittany Lions led 1-0.
Davidson answered with six runs in the bottom half. Nick Calero and Jacob Friend worked back-to-back walks to start the inning. Eli Putnam grounded a single through the left side and the ball was misplayed to allow Calero to score. Michael O'Shaughnessy lined out to right, but Friend scored to result in a sac fly. Jed Howard drew a walk before a fielder's choice by Tyler Douglas put runners on the corners. Jack Cotrone walked to load the bases. Jake Wilhoit was hit by a pitch to bring home Putnam before Aidan Rice walked to score Douglas. Two more runs scored on a single by Calero to put Davidson up, 6-1.
The Wildcats added a pair of runs in the second. Putnam led off the inning with a double down the line in left. On a 1-1 pitch, O'Shaughnessy lifted a fly ball over the wall in right for a two-run homer. Davidson led 8-1.
Davidson plated two in the third. Rice started the inning with a walk. Two batters later, Friend launched a fly ball over the wall in right. Davidson held a 10-1 lead.
Penn State got a run back in the fourth. With two outs, Adam Cecere bounced a single into center. Grant Norris shot a groundball through the left side for a single. Marsh lined a single into left to bring home Cecere to cut the deficit to 10-2.
Davidson extended its lead in the bottom half. With one out, Douglas singled up the middle. Two batters later, Wilhoit lifted a fly ball over the fence in left.
The Wildcats added two runs in the fifth. Friend singled and Putnam was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Two batters later, Howard singled to right to bring home Friend. A double by Cotrone allowed Putnam to score. Davidson led 14-2.
The Nittany Lions are set to play a doubleheader against the Wildcats on Sunday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Both games of the doubleheader will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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.
