UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team broke the game open with seven runs in the sixth on its way to a 10-1 win over Pitt on Tuesday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Penn State improved to 13-9 on the season, while Pitt dropped to 11-11.
The Nittany Lions won in front of 3,505 fans. It was the third-largest crowd to watch a Penn State game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and the largest crowd to watch a Penn State midweek game.
On Dollar Dog Night, Penn State fans consumed 5,021 hot dogs, more than doubling the total (2,010) from the first Dollar Dog Night of the season.
Mason Butash got the start for the Nittany Lions, working four strong innings. He did not allow a hit or run, while walking four. Butash notched four strikeouts.
Matt Morash threw one inning of relief, allowing one unearned run and a walk. Connor Throneberry tossed one inning, giving up one hit and two walks, while posting two strikeouts. Ben DeMell earned the save, working three perfect innings and striking out three.
Aidan Coleman made the start for Pitt, going 3.1 frames. He was charged with one run on two hits. Coleman walked three and struck out one. Gavin Chillot tossed 1.2 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out one. Ryan Partridge allowed four runs on three hits and a walk before Ben Kovel walked two batters, who both scored. Matt Porter got three outs in the sixth, surrendering one run. Kyle Mosley worked a scoreless inning, including a strikeout. In the eighth, Kyle Demi secured two outs and gave up two runs before Erubiel Candelario got the final out.
The Nittany Lions tallied 10 runs on 10 hits and 10 walks. Grant Norris collected three hits to go with two RBI and a run. J.T. Marr had his 11th multi-hit game of the year with two hits, including a double, and two RBI. Bryce Molinaro doubled and drove in two runs, while Kyle Hannon added a two-run single.
Adam Cecere drew a program-record five walks and scored twice. His five walks are tied for the most in a Division I game this season with Kansas' Jake English (vs. Cincinnati, 3/15/24), Wagner's Josiah Ross (vs. Saint Peter's, 3/12/24) and South Dakota State's Dawson Parry (vs. New Mexico State, 2/19/24).
Pitt scored one run on one hit and seven walks. Josh Spiegel had a single in the sixth inning. Dom Popa drew two walks.
Penn State got on the board in the fourth. With one out, Marr and Cecere worked back-to-back four-pitch walks. Molinaro was hit by a 2-2 pitch to load the bases. Norris bounced into a fielder's choice with Marr being thrown out at home. Tayven Kelley followed with a four-pitch walk to score Cecere from third. PSU led 1-0.
Pitt tied the game in the fifth, helped by errors. With one out, a pop up by Turner Grau was dropped for an error as Grau hustled to second. Ryan Zuckerman hit a fly ball down the right field line, which was dropped for another error to help him reach. Popa worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Tyler Bischke hit a ground ball back to Morash, who fired to second for an out, but the fielder's choice allowed Grau to score. The game was even at 1-1.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the sixth. Marr led off the inning with a double to the corner in left. Cecere drew his third walk of the day before Molinaro ripped a line drive into the left-center gap for a double as Marr scored. Norris flared a single into left to bring home Cecere. Norris stole second before Kelley worked a walk to load the bases. Kevin Michaels held off on a 3-1 pitch to allow Molinaro to score. After a pitching change, Hannon sent a grounder through the middle to plate Norris and Kelley. With two outs, Marr's second hit of the inning was a single to right to drive in Michaels and Hannon. Penn State extended its lead to 8-1.
Penn State added two runs in the eighth. Joe Jaconski started the frame with an infield single. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Bobby Marsh worked a walk. Marsh stole second before Cecere drew his fifth walk of the night to load the bases. A line drive to center by Molinaro was snagged on a diving grab, but allowed Jaconski to score on a sac fly. Norris followed with a single to right to bring home Marsh. PSU pushed its lead to 10-1.
Penn State visits Illinois to continue Big Ten play. The series begins on Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. and continues Saturday at 4 p.m. Sunday's contest is being broadcast on Big Ten Network, beginning at 3 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.
Mason Butash