BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State baseball team dropped a 10-9 decision at Indiana on Saturday afternoon at Bart Kaufman Field. The Nittany Lions took a 9-7 lead into the ninth, but couldn't hold on for the win. Penn State is now 18-13 overall and 5-6 in the Big Ten, while Indiana improved to 19-16 on the year and 4-4 in conference play.
Jaden Henline got the start for the Nittany Lions, tossing two innings. He gave up five runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out one.
Mason Horwat went four innings in relief. He allowed two runs on four hits. Horwat recorded two strikeouts and walked one. Anthony Steele threw 2.2 innings and was charged with three runs on two hits. He struck out four and walked one. Will Perkowski faced two batters, allowing one hit.
Connor Foley started for Indiana, going 1.2 innings. He allowed eight runs on five hits, including two homers. He struck out one and walked three. Drew Buhr tossed 4.1 shutout innings in relief, allowing three hits and one walk, while striking out eight. Jacob Vogel threw a scoreless top seventh, allowing one hit, and struck out one. Brayden Risedorph worked the final two innings, giving up one run on two hits.
Penn State tallied nine runs on 11 hits. J.T. Marr posted his 18th multi-hit game of the season with two hits, including a three-run homer. Adam Cecere launched a solo homer. Bobby Marsh recorded two hits and two RBI, while Joe Jaconski had two hits and drove in a run. Matt Maloney added a two-run double.
Indiana collected 10 runs on 10 hits. Andrew Wiggins had two hits, including a solo homer, three RBI and two runs. Josh Pyne contributed two hits, including a two-run double, and scored twice. Tyler Cerny had three hits, including a double, and an RBI.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead. In the second, Adam Cecere held off on a 3-2 pitch for a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Bryce Molinaro drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Maloney lined a double to the corner in left to bring home Cecere and Molinaro. After a groundout moved Maloney to third, Kyle Hannon worked a walk. A single to center by Jaconski allowed Maloney to score. Marsh followed with a single to right to bring in Hannon. On a 1-2 pitch, Marr launched a three-run homer over the wall in right. The next pitch was sent over the right field wall, again, this time by Cecere.
Indiana answered with five runs in the bottom half. Cerny started the inning with a single through the middle. Nick Mitchell was hit by a 3-2 pitch before Joey Brenczewski drew a walk to load the bases. Jake Stadler held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk as Cerny scored. Pyne lined a double to left to bring home Mitchell and Brenczewski. A groundout by Wiggins allowed Stadler to cross the plate. A sac fly to right by Carter Mathison brought home Pyne. Penn State led 8-5 through two innings.
The Hoosiers trimmed their deficit to one in the seventh. Pyne singled to left to begin the frame. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Wiggins sent a fly ball over the wall in right-center. The Nittany Lions still led 8-7.
Penn State added a run in the eighth. With one out, Tayven Kelley drew a walk. Two batters later, Jaconski singled through the right side to put runners on the corners. Marsh delivered a clutch single to right to drive in Kelley. Penn State pushed its lead to 9-7.
In the bottom of the ninth, Wiggins was hit by a pitch with one out. Jasen Oliver drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second. A single by Devin Taylor drove in Wiggins. After a pitching change, a single to left by Cerny tied the game as Oliver scored. A wild pitch bounced away as Taylor crossed for the winning run.
Penn State and Indiana meet in the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. with a broadcast on B1G+.
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.
JT Marr