BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State baseball team fell 12-3 at Indiana on Sunday afternoon at Bart Kaufman Field. The Nittany Lions dropped the series finale and are now 18-14 overall and 5-7 in Big Ten play. Indiana improved to 20-16 overall and 5-4 in conference.
Frankie Sanchez started on the bump for the Nittany Lions, tossing four innings. He allowed six runs on five hits. Sanchez recorded five strikeouts and three walks.
Matt Morash worked an inning, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out two. Will Perkowski threw one inning, giving up two runs on three hits and recording one strikeout. Mason Butash tossed one inning, giving up one run and two hits, while striking out one. James Lordi threw one frame, allowing a run on three hits.
Ty Rybarczyk got the start for Indiana, throwing four innings. He gave up two runs on two hits and struck out five. Grant Holderfield recorded two outs and walked two batters. Aydan Decker-Petty threw the final 4.1 frames, allowing one run on three hits and striking out six, to earn the save.
Penn State recorded three runs on five hits. Joe Jaconski and Adam Cecere both launched solo homers. Grant Norris added an RBI single, while J.T. Marr singled and scored a run.
The Nittany Lions have now homered in 10-straight games. Cecere's 12th home run of the season ties him for ninth at Penn State with C.J. Sichler (1985), Jared Sadlowski (1997), Shawn Fagan (1998), Chris Netwall (1999), Sean Deegan (2011, 2012) and Matt Wood (2022).
Indiana plated 12 runs on 16 hits. Joey Brenczewski led the Hoosiers with four hits, including two homers, seven RBI and three runs. Jake Stadler drove in two runs with two hits, while Carter Mathison homered, among two hits, and scored twice.
The Nittany Lions got a first-inning lead for the second time in the series. Jaconski led off the game by sending an 0-2 pitch over the wall in right. Penn State led 1-0.
Indiana took the lead in the second. Tyler Cerny was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Back-to-back walks by Nick Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins loaded the bases. Brenczewski launched a fly ball over the wall in center for a grand slam. Later in the inning, Mathison lifted a fly ball over the wall in right. Indiana held a 5-1 lead.
Penn State got a run back in the fourth. With one out, Cecere lifted a fly ball to left that carried over the wall for a solo homer. Cecere's 12th of the season cut PSU's deficit to 5-2.
The Hoosiers responded in the bottom half. Leading off the inning, Brenczewski hit a fly ball over the wall in right. Indiana pushed its lead to 6-2.
Indiana extended its lead in the fifth. With one out, Mitchell singled to right. After Mitchell stole second, Brenczewski sent a single to right to drive in Mitchell. Brenczewski stole second before coming home on a single by Stadler. Indiana led 8-2.
The Hoosiers added two runs in the sixth. Mathison started the frame with a single to right. Pyne worked a walk to put two on base. Mitchell lined a single to right to drive in Mathison. A bloop single to left by Wiggins brought in Pyne. Indiana held a 10-2 lead.
Penn State got a run in the eighth. Marr started the inning beating out an infield single. Marr moved to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch. Norris bounced a grounder through the middle to drive in Marr. Penn State trailed 10-3.
Indiana responded in the bottom half. Cerny led off with a. single to right. Two batters later, a fly ball by Wiggins landed for a single. Brenczewski sent a single to left to bring in Cerny. Stadler followed with a single to left to score Wiggins. Indiana extended its lead to 12-3.
The Nittany Lions return to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Tuesday, April 16 to take on Kent State at 5:30 p.m. It is Dollar Dog Night, featuring $1 hot dogs, and Greek Night.
All home games are free admission for all ages.
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The 2024 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Joe Jaconski