UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team dropped a 6-0 decision against Illinois on Sunday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. After the Nittany Lions took Friday night’s game, 9-8, Illinois bounced back to win Saturday and take the series on Sunday.
Penn State is now 8-18 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play, while Illinois improved to 14-12 overall and 6-6 in conference action.
Isaiah Shayter made his seventh start of the year for the Nittany Lions, firing a career-high 5.2 innings. He allowed three runs on six hits. Shayter notched two strikeouts and two walks.
Dimond Loosli threw two-thirds of an inning. He was charged with two runs on two hits and a walk. Robert Brown III worked two-thirds of an inning without allowing a run. Matthew VanOstenbridge went one inning, giving up one run and striking out two. Mason Horwat worked a scoreless ninth, including a strikeout.
Aidan Flinn made the start for Illinois, going four shutout innings. He allowed two hits and two walks, while striking out three. Reed Gannon fired five scoreless frames, giving up one hit and striking out three.
Penn State tallied three hits and two walks. Michael Anderson recorded two hits, including a double. Jack Porter added a base knock.
Illinois registered six runs on 10 hits. J.R. Nelson collected three hits, including a double, and two RBI. Will Johannes added an RBI double, among two hits, and scored twice.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois got on the board in the second. AJ Putty worked a five-pitch walk to begin the frame. With two outs, Will Johannes snuck a sharp grounder inside the third base bag and into the corner for a double as Putty hustled home. Illinois led 1-0.
In the bottom of the second, Michael Anderson reached on an infield single. Jack Porter center a grounder through the middle for a single. Spencer Barnett’s fly ball was caught at the wall but allowed Anderson to move to third. Bryce Molinaro worked a five-pitch walk to load the bases. However, a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
The Illini added on in the fifth. Johannes reached on an infield single and went to second on a throwing error. A bunt by Brayden Mazzacano resulted in a fielder’s choice and runners on the corners. J.R. Nelson laid down a bunt on the first base line and avoided a tag while Johannes scored. A sac bunt by Nick Groves moved Nelson to second and Mazzacano to third. Michael Farina lifted a sac fly to right to bring in Mazzacano. The Illini held a 3-0 lead.
Illinois plated two runs in the seventh. With one out, Mazzacano worked a four-pitch walk and then stole second. Nelson landed a double in the left-center gap with a throwing error on the play allowing Mazzacano to cross the plate. Groves lined a single to right to bring in Nelson and push the Illinois lead to 5-0.
The Illini added a run in the eighth. With two outs, Johannes and Mazzacano worked back-to-back walks. Nelson bounced a single through the middle to bring in Johannes and extend the Illinois lead to 6-0.
UP NEXT
Penn State hosts UCF on Wednesday, April 1 for a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. It will be Dollar Dog Night and Little Sluggers Day.
All games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are free admission for all ages.
The Nittany Lions travel to Lincoln for a three-game Big Ten series at Nebraska next weekend, April 3-5.
The 2026 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.