UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team took two of three games against Bucknell on Saturday. The squads played three, five-inning games. The Nittany Lions won 2-0 in game one and 8-1 in game two, before falling 6-0 in game three.
Penn State concludes the Fall with a 4-1 mark, including two wins over St. Bonaventure.
In game one, Joe Jaconski and Bryce Molinaro each drove in a run. Five pitchers combined to allow no runs and three hits, while striking out six.
Molinaro tripled among two hits and drove in three runs to lead PSU in game two. Paxton Kling tripled and scored two runs. Nittany Lion pitchers gave up one run (unearned) on one hit and struck out nine.
In game three, Mike Lucarelli had two hits, including a double, while Nate Voss added a double.
The Nittany Lions are set to open the 2025 season at the Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge on Feb. 14-16. Penn State begins the 2025 campaign against Missouri on Friday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. at Estadio Yldefonso Sola Morales in Caguas.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Game 1
Mason Horwat got the start on the mound, tossing a scoreless first and striking out one. Matthew VanOstenbridge and Ben DeMell each followed with a scoreless inning, while tallying a strikeout. Dimond Loosli fired a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout before Anthony Steele finished out the game with two strikeouts in a scoreless frame.
Penn State tallied two runs on two hits. Paxton Kling and Matt Maloney each had singles, while Joe Jaconski and Bryce Molinaro each drove in a run.
Bucknell was held to three hits and no runs.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the first. Kling led off the inning with a single to center. A towering fly ball to left by Ryan Weingartner was mishandled, ending with runners at second and third. Jaconski lifted a sac fly to center to bring home Kling. Molinaro sent a fly ball to right field for a sac fly as Weingartner crossed the plate. Penn State led 2-0.
Game 2
Logan Olson started and threw one inning, giving up an unearned run and striking out two. Sean Williams tossed a 1-2-3 inning, striking out one. Will Andrews fired two strikeouts in a scoreless frame. Chase Renner recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. Carson Renner worked a scoreless inning and struck out two.
The Nittany Lions collected eight runs on seven hits. Bryce Molinaro had two hits, including a triple, three RBI and a run. Paxton Kling added a triple and two runs. Joe Jaconski and Jack Porter each had a double, an RBI and a run, while Nate Voss doubled and scored.
Bucknell tallied one run on one hit and struck out nine times.
Bucknell got a run in the top of the first. Billy Kender led off the inning with a single before moving to second on a wild pitch and third on an error. He scored on a groundout.
Penn State answered with three runs in the first. Kling lined a one-out triple off the wall. Ryan Weingartner walked. As Weingartner stole second, a wild throw allowed Kling to score and Weingartner to hustle to third. Jaconski doubled to the gap in left-center to bring home Weingartner. A single up the middle by Molinaro drove in Jaconski. PSU led 3-1.
The Nittany Lions added three runs in the third. Cohl Mercado drew a walk to start the inning. Kling reached on a fielder’s choice before Weingartner walked. Molinaro blasted a triple off the wall in right to drive in Kling and Weingartner. A single to left-center by Cole Wagner brought home Molinaro. Penn State led 6-1.
Penn State plated two runs in the fourth. Voss started the inning with a double to the wall in left. He moved up to third on a passed ball before scoring on a double to left by Porter. A grounder by Mike Lucarelli resulted in an error as Porter scored to push PSU’s lead to 8-1.
Game 3
Mason Butash got the start, going one-third of an inning, before Brandon Wingenroth finished the first. Harrison Lollin worked a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts. Connor Throneberry fired a perfect inning, tallying a strikeout, before Riley Weatherwax worked a shutout frame and struck out one. Will Perkowski worked the fifth inning.
Penn State tallied five hits. Mike Lucarelli had two hits, including a double. Nate Voss recorded a double, while Jack Messina and Cole Wagner each had a single.
Bucknell scored four runs in the top of the first, including a two-run single by Jaxon Beiswenger.