UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team fell in the final game of a three-game series against Michigan, 11-6, on Sunday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Penn State is now 12-9 overall and 1-2 in Big Ten play.
Frankie Sanchez made the start for Penn State, going three strong frames. He held the Wolverines to no runs, and only three hits, while striking out three.
Mason Horwat entered in the fourth inning, allowing a hit and striking one out over one frame. Anthony Steele threw 1.2 innings, allowing a run, a hit, and striking one out. Chic DeGaetano finished the sixth inning. Will Perkowski, David Lee, Connor Throneberry and Ben DeMell combined to complete the seventh inning, allowing a combined nine runs (four earned) on three hits and three walks. Brandon Wingenroth made his PSU debut in the eighth, going one inning and giving up two hits and a run. James Lordi worked a scoreless ninth and struck out one.
Mitch Voit got the start on the mound for the Wolverines, tossing 7.1 innings. Voit struck out four and allowed two runs on six hits. Zach Slayden relieved Voit in the seventh inning, allowing four hits and three runs. Jacob Denner entered later in the seventh and stayed on the mound for 1.1 innings, striking out two.
Penn State tallied six runs on 10 hits. Bobby Marsh collected two hits, including an RBI double. Joe Jaconski notched two hits, an RBI and two runs, while J.T. Marr had two hits, including an RBI single. Grant Norris added two knocks and an RBI.
Michigan posted 11 runs on 10 hits. Dylan Stanton and AJ Garcia each had three hits, including a double, and an RBI. Stanton scored three times, while Garcia crossed the plate twice. Stephen Hrustich and Kyle Dernedde each drove in two runs.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the first. Jaconski started the inning with a single to center. With two outs, Marsh lifted a fly ball off the wall in center for a double as Jaconski hustled home. PSU led 1-0.
Michigan tied the game in the sixth. With two outs, Stanton singled to left. After a walk by Caruso, Dernedde grounded a single through the left side to plate Stanton. The game was even at 1-1.
The Wolverines exploded for nine runs in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Hrustich lined a double to left to bring home Garcia and Bradley Navarro. A walk by Will Rogers re-loaded the bases before a walk drawn by Stanton allowed Voit to score. Cole Caruso reached on an error as Hrustich crossed the plate before Dernedde lifted a fly ball to center for a sac fly to bring home Rogers. A groundout by Priest allowed Stanton to score. After the bases were loaded, following a hit by pitch and a walk, Voit reached on an error as Caruso scored. Back-to-back wild pitches allowed Garcia and Alfredo Velazquez to score. Michigan pushed its lead to 10-1.
Michigan added a run in the eighth. Stanton led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a walk by Dernedde. Two batters later, Garcia doubled to left to bring home Stanton. The Wolverines held an 11-1 lead.
Penn State chipped away in the bottom half. A pop up by Kyle Hannon was misplayed for an error as Hannon raced to second. A single to right-center by Jaconski brought home Hannon. Jaconski stole second and took third on a wild pitch before Marr lined a single to center to drive in Jaconski. A single by Marsh put runners on the corners for Matt Maloney, who plated Marr with a single to left.
A groundout moved runners to second and third before Norris reached on an infield single with Marsh scoring on the play. A wild pitch allowed Maloney to score for the fifth run of the inning. Tayven Kelley walked to put runners on first and second but a strikeout ended the frame. Penn State trailed 11-6.
The Nittany Lions close out their homestand on Tuesday, March 26 against Pitt. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. on Dollar Dog Night, featuring $1 hot dogs.
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.
Bobby Marsh