UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team used three homers to build an early lead on its way to an 8-4 win over Northwestern on Friday in the series opener at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Penn State moved to 14-12 overall and 2-5 in Big Ten play. Northwestern dropped to 10-16.
Travis Luensmann got the start for the Nittany Lions. Luensmann earned the win, going five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits. He struck out four batters, while walking two. He posted 1-2-3 innings in the second and fourth innings.
Mason Horwat allowed one run on one hit and three walks over an inning of work. Will Perkowski threw two scoreless innings, giving up two hits, and struck out one. Anthony Steele worked a shutout ninth inning.
Nolan Morr made the start for Northwestern. Morr went 1.2 frames, allowing six runs on six hits. Matt McClure finished the second and tossed 5.1 innings in relief, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits and struck out two. Jack Dyke allowed no runs in one inning of work.
Penn State tallied eight runs on 13 hits. J.T. Marr led five players with multiple hits as he collected two hits, including a homer, and two RBI. Grant Norris launched a solo homer among two hits and scored twice. Bobby Marsh recorded two hits, including a two-run double, while Bryce Molinaro had two hits, including a triple. Adam Cecere crushed his eighth homer of the year. Matt Maloney had a double among two hits.
Northwestern registered four runs on eight hits. Bennett Markinson contributed two hits, an RBI and a run. Owen McElfatrick tripled and scored a run, while Preston Knott had two hits and a run.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in the first. Vince Bianchina drew a leadoff walk. With two outs, Markinson singled to right to put runners on the corners. Trent Liolios followed with a bloop single to left-center to bring home Bianchina. Northwestern led 1-0.
Penn State responded with two runs in the bottom half. With two outs, Marr blasted a 2-0 pitch into the right field bleachers. On the next pitch of the game, Cecere crushed a fly ball over the wall in center. The back-to-back blasts gave Penn State a 2-1 lead.
The Nittany Lions added on in the second. With one out, Molinaro sent a line drive to center and raced to third for a triple. Tayven Kelley shot a grounder to left to bring home Molinaro. Kyle Hannon followed with a single to right-center. A groundout moved the runners to second and third before a fly ball by Marsh landed just inside the right field line for a double as Kelley and Hannon scored. After a pitching change, Marr lined a single into center to drive in Marsh. Penn State extended its lead to 6-1.
Northwestern got a couple runs back in the top of the third. Leading off the inning, a fly ball by McElfatrick hit off the top of the wall as he hustled to third for a triple. Two batters later, Markinson reached on an infield single as McElfatrick scored. After a single by Knott, a grounder by Drewbie Pinkston was misplayed, resulting in an error, allowing Markinson to score. Northwestern cut its deficit to 6-3.
Penn State plated a run in the bottom of the third. Norris launched a 2-2 pitch off the batter's eye in center for his sixth homer of the year. PSU led 7-3.
The blue and white added a run in the fifth. With two outs, Norris drove a double to the warning track in center. A grounder by Maloney dribbled in front of the mound as an error allowed Norris to cross the plate. Penn State pushed its lead to 8-3.
Northwestern cut its deficit in the top of the sixth. Knott reached on a leadoff walk. A groundout moved Knott to second and a wild pitch moved him to third. Tony Livermore and Griffin Arnone drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. A grounder in front of the plate by Bianchina resulted in a single as Knott scored to win the play at home. Northwestern still trailed 8-4 through six.
The series continues on Saturday at 2 p.m. On Saturday, the State College Spikes are hosting their annual SpikesFest, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday also features postgame autographs and a trading card set giveaway.
The series wraps up on Sunday at noon and features postgame kids run the bases.
All home games are free admission for all ages.
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.
Grant Norris and Matt Maloney celebrate Norris' homer in the third