UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team earned a 10-6 win over Indiana on Sunday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions took the lead with three runs in the seventh and broke the game open with four runs in the eighth on its way to a series-clinching win. Penn State improved to 11-2 on the year and won its Big Ten-opening series.
Penn State earned its first series win over Indiana since 2008 and claimed a series win in its Big Ten-opening series for the first time since 2014 against Northwestern.
Matt Morash earned the start for the Nittany Lions. He went four innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. Morash tallied two strikeouts with no walks. He posted scoreless frames in the second and fourth innings.
Anthony Steele fired two innings. He was charged with one run on three hits. Steele recorded two strikeouts and two walks. Dimond Loosli went 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on two walks but recorded a strikeout and did not allow a hit. Chase Renner got the final two outs of the ninth and allowed one run.
Cole Gilley got the start for Indiana, going 4.1 innings. He gave up two runs, both unearned, on three hits. Gilley collected three strikeouts and a walk. Drew Buhr worked 2.2 frames, allowing four runs, three earned, on one hit and four walks. Anthony Gubitosi gave up three runs over two-thirds of an inning before Seth Benes gave up doubles to both batters he faced, with one run scoring. Matthew Bohnert got the final out of the eighth.
Penn State tallied 10 runs on seven hits, while taking advantage of eight walks. Cohl Mercado collected two hits and scored three runs, while Paxton Kling had two hits, including a two-run single. Joe Jaconski drove in three runs, including a two-run double, and Bryce Molinaro notched two RBI, including one on a double.
The Hoosiers secured six runs on 11 hits. Joey Brenczewski had a double, among two hits, and four RBI. Devin Taylor had two hits and scored twice, while Korbyn Dickerson drove in two runs.
Indiana got on the board in the first. Andrew Wiggins started the frame with a single through the left side. Taylor followed with a single through the right side. A flyout allowed Wiggins to move up to third. Brenczewski lined a single into left to bring home Wiggins. Indiana led 1-0.
The Hoosiers added a run in the third. With one out, Taylor sent a single into right. Dickerson lined a double into the left-center gap as Taylor hustled home. IU held a 2-0 lead.
Penn State tied the game in the fifth. With one out, Jesse Jaconski sent a single through the middle for PSU’s first hit of the day. Mercado lined a single into left-center. Mercado’s line drive was misplayed by the center fielder to allow Jaconski to race home from first and Mercado to move to second. A wild pitch put Mercado on third. Kling sent a grounder through the middle to bring home Mercado and even the game at 2-2.
The Nittany Lions added a run in the sixth. Molinaro and Cole Wagner each held off on a 3-2 pitch for back-to-back walks. Molinaro tagged and hustled to third on a flyout by Jack Porter. A fly ball to left by Matt Maloney resulted in a sac fly as Molinaro scored. PSU led 3-2.
Indiana tied the game in the top of the seventh. Will Moore started the frame with a bunt single on the right side of the infield. Wiggins drew a four-pitch walk to put runners on first and second. A fielder’s choice moved Moore to third. Dickerson bounced a grounder on the right side for a groundout, which allowed Moore to cross the plate and even the game at 3-3.
Penn State plated three runs in the seventh. Mercado led off the inning with a single to left. Kling and Ryan Weingartner worked walks to load the bases. Joe Jaconski ripped a line drive into center for a sac fly as Mercado scored. Molinaro lifted a fly ball to deep left to bring in Kling on a sac fly. Wagner’s fly ball to left was misplayed as Weingartner hustled home from first. PSU took a 6-3 lead.
The Nittany Lions added four runs in the eighth. Jesse Jaconski and Mercado worked walks to put runners at first and second. Kling shot a grounder into left to bring in pinch-runner Derek Cease. After Mercado moved up to third, Weingartner worked a walk. Weingartner stole second before Joe Jaconski sent a line drive into left. Jaconski hustled for a double as Mercado and Weingartner scored. Molinaro followed with a double off the wall in center to bring home Jaconski. Penn State led 10-3.
Indiana battled back in the ninth. Moore and Wiggins drew one-out walks and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. A walk by Taylor loaded the bases. Two batters later, Brenczewski lined a double into left to clear the bases. However, a flyout ended the inning and the game to leave the score at 10-6.
Penn State travels for a two-game series at Georgetown, beginning on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The series continues on Sunday at 4 p.m.
The Blue and White visits Northwestern for a three-game Big Ten series next weekend, beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.