UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – In front of a record crowd of 4,902 fans, the Penn State baseball team earned a 12-2 win over FDU in eight innings on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions won their fourth-straight game to improve to 17-12 on the season.
The 4,902 fans shattered the previous Penn State baseball attendance record of 3,946 against Northwestern in 2007.
On Dollar Dog Night, another record was broken as Penn State fans consumed 6,151 hot dogs, bettering the 5,287 mark against West Virginia in 2023.
Mason Butash made his fifth start of the year for the Nittany Lions, tossing three innings. He allowed one run on one hit. Butash struck out five batters, including all three in the second inning, and walked three. He added a 1-2-3 inning in the first, including a pair of strikeouts.
Connor Throneberry worked a scoreless inning, including a strikeout, before Chic DeGaetano tossed two-thirds of a frame, allowing one run, and recording both outs on strikeouts. James Lordi went 1.1 shutout innings and struck out two. Ben DeMell worked the seventh inning without giving up a run before David Lee threw a scoreless eighth and struck out two.
Nicholas Feretic got the start for FDU, going two innings. He allowed six runs on seven hits. Jake Simon threw two innings, giving up one run on two hits. Ben Pika went two innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits. Dante Edwardi allowed two runs over an inning.
Penn State tallied 12 runs on 15 hits. Each of the top four batters in the lineup contributed at least three hits. Joe Jaconski recorded a four-hit game, including a double, and scored three times. Bobby Marsh tallied three hits, including a double and a homer, three RBI and two runs. Adam Cecere drove in four runs with three hits, including a homer. J.T. Marr doubled three times and scored twice. Bryce Molinaro had a two-run double.
Marr's three double tied a Penn State game record, done 14 previous times and last by Johnny Piacentino on May 1, 2021 against Michigan State.
Marsh has recorded multiple hits and multiple RBI in each of the last five games.
FDU notched two runs on four hits. Hunter D'Amato singled and drove in two runs, while Joan Sosa had a base hit and a run.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead. With one out in the first, Marsh lifted an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left for an opposite-field homer. Marr followed with a ground-rule double to center. After Matt Maloney was hit by a pitch, Grant Norris ripped a single to left to bring in Marr. A double to the gap in left-center by Molinaro brought home Maloney and Norris. Penn State led 4-0.
Penn State added a pair of runs in the second. With one out, Jaconski reached on an infield single. Marsh landed a double in the left field corner to bring home Jaconski. Two batters later, Cecere lined a double to right to bring in Marsh. Penn State held a 6-0 lead.
FDU got a run in the top of the third. Sosa reached on a walk before Justin Sierra singled to put runners at the corners. D'Amato lifted a fly ball down the left field line for a sac fly as Sosa scored. Penn State led 6-1.
Penn State plated a run in the fourth. Jaconski led off the inning with a. single to right. Marr dropped a double into right to put runners at second and third. Cecere drove a fly ball to the warning track in right. The fly ball was caught but resulted in a sac fly as Jaconski crossed the plate. PSU pushed its lead to 7-1.
The Knights got a run back in the top of the fifth. Ben Avila drew a walk and Sosa singled to right to put runners on first and second. A single through the left side by D'Amato allowed Avila to score. FDU cut its deficit to 7-2.
Penn State responded in the bottom half. Norris worked a leadoff walk. A lineout by Molinaro was snared by the shortstop but an errant throw back to first went out of play to allow Norris to advance to third. Kevin Michaels lifted a fly ball to left for a sac fly as Norris tagged and scored. PSU extended its lead to 8-2.
The Nittany Lions added on in the sixth. Jaconski shot a line drive to left and hustled to second for a double. Marsh grounded a single through the right side to drive in Jaconski. Marr reached on his third double of the day before Cecere ripped a single to center to bring home Marr. Penn State led 10-2.
In the seventh, Penn State plated another run. With one out, Michaels drew a walk. Pinch-runner Derek Cease stole second before Kyle Hannon worked a walk. Jaconski reached on an infield single to load the bases. A balk brought home a run as Cease scored. Penn State was ahead, 11-2.
Leading off the eighth, Cecere sent a 3-2 pitch over the bleachers in right. The 419-foot blast clinched a run-rule victory.
The Nittany Lions continue Big Ten play this weekend, April 12-14, at Indiana. The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m. Saturday is set for 2 p.m., while Sunday is a 1 p.m. first pitch.
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.
