RICHMOND, Va. – The Penn State baseball team posted another explosive day at the plate in a 16-7 win at VCU on Saturday at The Diamond. Jesse Jaconski blasted two homers, totaling four runs, while Nate Voss launched a grand slam and Cole Wagner added a solo homer. Penn State won its sixth-straight game to improve to 7-1.
Penn State earned its first 7-1 start since 2019.
The Nittany Lions have scored 10+ runs in five-straight games (11 vs. Longwood, 10 vs. Longwood, 15 vs. Longwood; 17 vs. Richmond; 16 vs. VCU) for the first time since 1978 (George Washington, 13-3, 4/15; George Washington, 10-9, 4/15; Gettysburg, 11-2, 4/16; Mansfield, 15-2, 4/22; Rider, 11-2, 4/23).
Penn State has 20 homers through its first eight games this season.
Ryan DeSanto started on the mound for the Nittany Lions. He went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits. The junior recorded four strikeouts and two walks. DeSanto posted scoreless innings in the first, third and fifth frames.
Ben DeMell followed with 2.1 perfect frames, retiring all seven batters he faced. DeMell posted three strikeouts. Skip Shenosky threw one inning, giving up three runs. Chase Renner fired a scoreless inning and struck out one.
Broden Palmer got the start for VCU, going two innings. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits. Palmer recorded two strikeouts and a walk. Cooper Campbell threw 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out three. Joe Gomez went one inning and pitched into a second frame. He was charged with three runs. Michael Walsh gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning before Nick Frers threw a scoreless inning.
Penn State tallied 16 runs on 14 hits. Jesse Jaconski launched a pair of two-run homers, while Nate Voss hit a grand slam among two hits. Cole Wagner collected three hits, including a double and a solo homer, four RBI and two runs. Matt Maloney recorded three hits and three runs, while Ryan Weingartner had a two-run double and scored twice.
The Nittany Lions had grand slams on back-to-back days with Voss’ slam joining Paxton Kling’s against Richmond.
VCU registered seven runs on eight hits. Sean Swenson notched three hits, including a solo homer, and two runs. Adrian Jimenez collected three RBI, while Trent Adelman drove in two runs on a double and scored twice.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the first. Paxton Kling sent a grounder to the left side of the infield and reached on an error, while moving to second on the play. Kling moved to third on a groundout. A pop up by Wagner was helped by wind and landed on the infield to allow Kling to score. PSU led 1-0.
Penn State added four runs in the second. Maloney led off with an infield single. A base hit by Derek Cease put runners at first and second. Weingartner lined a double into the corner in left to bring home both runners. After Joe Jaconski walked and Bryce Molinaro was hit by a pitch, Wagner ripped a single through the right side to bring in two more runs. The Nittany Lions held a 5-0 lead.
VCU answered with three runs in the bottom half. Swenson and Casey Kleinman reached on singles, with a throwing error helping them to move up to second and third. Adelman sent a double into left to bring in both runners. Adelman moved up to third on a sac bunt before scoring on a sac fly to center by Jimenez. PSU led 5-3.
Penn State responded with two runs in the third. Maloney reached on a leadoff single. Jesse Jaconski launched a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left-center. The 434-foot blast gave Penn State a 7-3 lead.
VCU plated a run in the fourth. Carter Richey reached on a one-out single to right. He moved up to second on a flyout and to third on a throwing error. A wild pitch allowed Richey to cross the plate and cut the Rams’ deficit to 7-4.
The Nittany Lions added three runs in the seventh. Wagner blasted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center to begin the frame. After a single by Maloney, Jesse Jaconski launched his second homer of the game over the right field wall. The 394-foot homer by Wagner and the 367-foot dinger by Jaconski gave PSU a 10-4 lead.
Penn State extended its lead in the eighth. Joe Jaconski was hit by a pitch before a walk by Molinaro and a hit-by-pitch by Wagner loaded the bases. After a pitching change, Voss launched a grand slam over the wall in left. The 370-foot dinger gave PSU a 14-4 advantage.
VCU answered with three runs in the bottom half. Swenson led off the inning with a homer to center. Adelman reached on a fielder’s choice before walks by Richey and Nate Kirkpatrick loaded the bases. Jimenez bounced a grounder through the left side to bring in Adelman and Richey. PSU led 14-7 through eight innings.
Penn State added on in the ninth. Kling was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. Weingartner walked to put runners on first and second before Kling tagged and moved to third on a flyout to center. Weingartner stole second before a wild pitch allowed Kling to score. Molinaro lined a single into center to drive in Weingartner and push PSU’s lead to 16-7.
The Nittany Lions battle William & Mary on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will include an audio-only broadcast.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.