CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Penn State baseball team fell 14-10 at Illinois in the series opener on Friday night. The Nittany Lions took an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Illini scored eight to re-take the lead. Penn State is now 13-10 overall and 1-3 in Big Ten play. Illinois improved to 12-12 overall and 3-1 in the conference.
Travis Luensmann made his seventh start of the season for the Nittany Lions, going 4.1 innings. He allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits. Luensmann struck out two and walked two. Chic DeGaetano got the final two outs of the fifth.
Mason Horwat worked 1.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits. Anthony Steele recorded one out, while allowing four runs. Connor Throneberry went 1.1 frames, allowing a run.
Jack Crowder got the start for the Illini, throwing 5.2 innings. He gave up five runs on five hits. Crowder registered five strikeouts and one walk. Regan Hall allowed three runs over two-thirds of an inning. Will Lavin notched two strikeouts before Payton Hutchings threw the final two innings and gave up two runs.
Penn State tallied 10 runs on 10 hits, including four homers. Bobby Marsh hit a solo homer, while driving in two runs and scoring twice. J.T. Marr collected two hits, including a two-run homer, and scored twice. Grant Norris belted a two-run homer, while Adam Cecere added two hits, including a solo blast. Bryce Molinaro had a two-run double.
Illinois recorded 14 runs on 14 hits. Ryan Moerman led the Illini with three hits, including a double and a homer, and five RBI. Camden Janik contributed three hits, including an RBI double, and three runs. Vytas Valincius drove in three runs.
The Illini got on the board in the first inning. With two outs, Janik hit a fly ball to right center that landed for a double. Drake Westcott walked before Valincius singled through the left side to bring in Janik. Illinois led 1-0.
Illinois added a run in the fourth. With one out, Jacob Schroeder doubled to the wall in right -center. A ground out by Brody Harding moved Schroeder to third. Coltin Quafliano sent a soft line drive into right to bring home Schroeder. Illinois held a 2-0 advantage.
Penn State tied the game in the top of the fifth. With one out, Molinaro was hit by a 2-0 pitch. Two pitches later, Grant Norris launched a fly ball over the wall in center. Norris' 439-foot blast evened the score at 2-2.
The Illini struck for four runs in the bottom half. Cal Hejza was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. A grounder by Janik up the middle deflected off a glove and into shallow centerfield for a double as Hejza scored. Westcott doubled to center to put runners on second and third. Valincius lifted a sac fly to center to score Janik. Moerman followed with a two-run homer to center to push Illinois' lead to 6-2.
Penn State responded with three runs in the sixth. With one out, Marsh sent a pitch below his knees over the wall in left for his first homer of the year. Marr beat out an infield single before moving to second on a wild pitch. Matt Maloney was hit by a pitch. Molinaro crushed a fly ball to center, which landed on the warning track for a double as Marr and Maloney hustled home. PSU trimmed its deficit to 6-5.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the top of the seventh. Kyle Hannon and Joe Jaconski started the inning with back-to-back singles. Marsh bounced a grounder to the left side for a fielder's choice as Hannon scored. On a 1-0 pitch, Marr lifted a fly ball over the wall in left-center. The two-run shot put Penn State ahead, 8-6.
Illinois re-took the lead in the bottom half. Valincius and Moerman reached on singles before a walk by Schroeder loaded the bases. After a fielder's choice resulted in Valincius being thrown out at the plate, a walk drawn by Quagliano allowed Moerman to score. After a pitching change, Cameron Chee-Aloy also walked to bring home Schroeder. A single by Hejza plated Harding. After a walk by Janik, Westcott forced a four-pitch walk to score Chee-Aloy. Valincius drew a walk to bring home Hejza before a double by Moerman cleared the bases. Illinois led 14-8.
Penn State got a run in the eighth. With one out, Billy Gerlott walked before Hannon bounced into a fielder's choice. Hannon moved up to second on a wild pitch before a single to center by Jaconski allowed Hannon to score. PSU trailed 14-9.
PSU added a run in the ninth on a solo homer by Cecere. His sixth of the year cut the deficit to 14-10.
The Nittany Lions and Fighting Illini continue the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
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The 2024 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Grant Norris