CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Penn State baseball team fell 6-3 at No. 10 Virginia on Tuesday at Disharoon Park. The Nittany Lions climbed back within two with a three-run fifth inning, but UVA held on for the victory. Penn State is now 7-4 this season, while Virginia improved to 11-1.
Mason Butash made his second start of the season for the Nittany Lions, tossing two innings. He allowed two runs on four hits with a strikeout and a walk. Anthony Steele worked a scoreless third inning, walking one.
Matt Morash entered to start the fourth, allowing three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Ben DeMell finished the fourth and threw a scoreless fifth. He allowed one hit and one walk. Chic DeGaetano worked two-thirds of a scoreless inning, striking out one. David Lee tossed 1.1 shutout frames, recording one strikeout. Connor Throneberry allowed one run on two hits in one-third of an inning before Will Perkowski closed out the eighth and recorded a strikeout.
Owen Coady got the start for Virginia, throwing 4.2 innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out five. Chase Hungate threw one inning, allowing two hits and striking out three. Angelo Tonas threw one inning, allowing a hit and striking out two. Ryan Osinski retired the only batter he faced. Blake Barker recorded a scoreless inning and struck out two. Aidan Teel worked a scoreless ninth.
Penn State recorded three runs on 11 hits. Bryce Molinaro had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Kyle Hannon contributed two hits, including an RBI single, while Billy Gerlott collected two hits and a run. Bobby Marsh registered two hits, while J.T. Marr extended his hit streak to 11 games.
Virginia tallied six runs on 11 hits. Griff O'Ferrall collected two hits and two RBI, while Harrison Didawick had a homer and scored twice. Casey Saucke drove in a run and notched two hits.
Virginia got on the board in the first. With two outs, Henry Ford reached on an infield single. Ethan Anderson followed with a single up the middle before Saucke lined a single to center to drive in Ford. UVA led 1-0.
The Cavaliers added on in the second. Didawick led off the frame with a line drive over the wall in right. Virginia extended its lead to 2-0.
Virginia plated three runs in the fourth. With one out, Didawick was hit by a pitch. Henry Godbout followed with a line drive off the wall in left-center for a triple as Didawick scored. Luke Hanson followed with a double to the corner in left to bring home Godbout. Two batters later, O'Ferrall singled to center to drive in Hanson. Virginia led 5-0.
Penn State cut its deficit in the fifth. Grant Norris led off the inning with an infield single. Two batters later, Matt Maloney lined a single to right. Gerlott singled to left to load the bases. A fly ball to center by Joe Jaconski resulted in a sac fly as Norris scored. Hannon followed with a single to right to bring home Maloney. After a pitching change, Molinaro grounded a single into right to drive in Gerlott. The Nittany Lions trailed 5-3.
Virginia added a run in the eighth. With one out, Bobby Whalen doubled to left-center followed by a single through the middle by O'Ferrall to score Whalen. Virginia extended its lead to 6-3.
The Nittany Lions return to Cary, N.C. this weekend to take on Harvard at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The series begins on Friday at 3 p.m. and continues on Saturday at 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale is set for 11 a.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.
Chic DeGaetano, David Lee