UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team exploded for four runs in the fifth and five in the seventh to push itself to a 14-4, run-rule victory over Rider on Wednesday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Nate Voss drove in five runs with a pair of doubles, while Bryce Molinaro and Ryan Weingartner homered in the seventh. Penn State improved to 26-17, while Rider dropped to 28-12.
With 14 runs on Wednesday, the Nittany Lions tallied 10+ runs in a game for the 21st time this season. In program history, PSU has posted 21 games of 10+ runs in a season on just one previous occasion (22; 2000).
Sophomore Matt Morash made his fifth start of the season. He went 1.2 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits. He tallied three strikeouts and walked one batter. He had multiple strikeouts in the first inning. Skip Shenosky worked 1.1 innings, allowing one run (unearned) on one hit and walking two.
Harrison Lollin tossed three perfect innings, to pick up the win, and struck out six, including striking out the side in the fifth. Will Andrews fired two innings and struck out four, while allowing one run.
Colby McNeely got the start for Rider, working two innings. He allowed three runs on two hits and three walks, while striking out two. Jack Ruditzky threw 2.1 innings, giving up two runs and three walks. Jake Dorety went 2.1 innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits. Zach Silfies gave up two runs in one-third of an inning.
Penn State tallied 14 runs on 10 hits and nine walks. Voss collected two doubles, while driving in five runs. Molinaro recorded three hits, including a solo homer, and scored three times. Weingartner added a two-run homer. Paxton Kling had two hits and two runs, while Mike Lucarelli scored three times.
In the second inning, Weingartner recorded his 25th steal of the year to break a tie for third in a season at PSU, moving past Rod Perry (24; 2001), Zach Smithlin (24; 2003) and Sean Deegan (24; 2010). He is just two steals behind the program record held by Michael Campo (27; 1999) and Kyle Hannon (27; 2023).
Weingartner’s steal was Penn State’s 91st as a team this season, tying the program season record of 91 in 2000.
Rider scored four runs on six hits. Anthony Paskell and Will Gallagher both had RBI knocks.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the first. With one out, Kling held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk. Jack Porter was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Molinaro sent a single through the middle to bring in Kling. Two batters later, Jaconski worked a walk to load the bases. Voss smacked a line drive into left and hustled to second for a double as Porter and Molinaro crossed the plate. Penn State led 3-0.
Rider answered with three runs in the second. With one out, Paskell drew a walk and Richie Sica dribbled a single through the middle. Two batters later, Gallagher sent a grounder through the left side to bring in Paskell. A fly ball by Matt Leahy was misplayed in left, allowing Sica and Gallagher to score and tie the game at 3-3.
Penn State plated four runs in the fifth. Kling worked a leadoff walk and Porter was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Lucarelli drew a walk to load the bases. Jaconski lifted a fly ball to center for a sac fly to bring in Kling. A fly ball to left by Voss landed just in front of the wall for a double to bring in Porter and move Lucarelli to third. Matt Maloney’s grounder was mishandled to allow Lucarelli and Voss to score. PSU led 7-3.
The Nittany Lions exploded for five runs in the seventh. Molinaro blasted a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right. Lucarelli drew a walk and Jaconski singled to right to put runners on the corners. A sac fly to left by Voss brought in Lucarelli. Two batters later, Derek Cease lined a double to right-center to drive in Jaconski. Weingartner launched a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left-center to extend PSU’s lead to 12-3.
Rider plated a run in the eighth. With one out, Christian Bermudez singled to right. A single to right-center by Kyle Neri put runners on the corners before a single by Paskell brought in Bermudez. PSU held a 12-4 advantage.
PSU responded with a pair of runs to clinch the run-rule victory. Molinaro started the frame with a single to left before Lucarelli was hit by a pitch. Jaconski worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Consecutive wild pitches brought home Molinaro and Lucarelli to end the game.
Penn State hosts Maryland for a three-game series, beginning on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Saturday’s first pitch is set for 2 p.m. and Sunday’s contest is slated for 1 p.m.
Saturday is Alumni Day and Backyard Baseball Day, celebrating the return of the popular video game. Sunday is ALS Awareness Day, including a visit from Pete Frates’ family who helped to start the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.