WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Penn State baseball team fell 2-1 against Purdue on Saturday afternoon at Alexander Field. The Nittany Lions took an early 1-0 lead in the third, but the Boilermakers tied the game in the fifth and secured the lead in the sixth.
Penn State dropped to 5-15 overall (1-4 Big Ten), while Purdue improved to 14-6 on the year (5-3 Big Ten).
Ben Hudson made the start on the mound for Penn State, firing five strong innings. He allowed one run on five hits. Hudson tallied three strikeouts and no walks. Hudson held Purdue scoreless through 4.1 innings.
Kyle Emmons threw three innings, giving up one run on four hits. Emmons secured three strikeouts and no walks.
Zach Erdman got the start for Purdue, working seven innings. He gave up one run on five hits. Erdman recorded three walks and no strikeouts. Trevor Kester-Johnson retired the only batter he faced before Jake Kramer closed out the final 1.2 innings, including two strikeouts.
Penn State tallied one run on five hits. Cohl Mercado and Jack Porter each recorded a double. Jesse Jaconski scored a run.
Purdue registered two runs on nine hits. Ali Banks notched two hits, including a solo homer. Dylan Drake added two doubles and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the third. Jesse Jaconski worked a six-pitch walk. Avery Smith dropped a sac bunt to move Jaconski to second before he moved up to third on a groundout. After Cohl Mercado was hit by a pitch, a wild pitch allowed Jaconski to cross the plate. Penn State led 1-0.
In the fourth, after a double play erased a leadoff single by Spencer Barnett, Jack Porter lined a double down the right-field line. However, a pop out ended the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Maddox McDonald sent a one-out single through the middle. Mercado landed a double in the left-center gap to put runners on second and third. Michael Anderson was intentionally walked to load the bases. However, the Nittany Lions bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Purdue tied the game in the fifth. CJ Richmond lined a double down the right-field line to begin the frame. Two batters later, Dylan Drake smacked a double off the wall in left-center to drive in Richmond. The game was even at 1-1.
The Boilermakers took the lead in the sixth. Leading off the inning, Ali Banks lifted a fly ball over the wall in left-center. The solo homer gave Purdue a 2-1 advantage.
UP NEXT
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m. with a stream on B1G+.
Penn State hosts a pair of midweek games. The Nittany Lions take on St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, March 24 at 5:30 p.m. on Dollar Dog Night and Bucknell on Wednesday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m.
The Nittany Lions welcome Illinois for a three-game Big Ten series next weekend. All games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are free admission for all ages.
The 2026 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.