LUBBOCK, Texas – The Penn State baseball team fell 21-6 in seven innings against Texas Tech on Saturday at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Cohl Mercado and Michael Anderson both launched homers for the Nittany Lions, but the Red Raiders set the tone with seven runs in the first.
Penn State dropped to 4-8 on the season, while Texas Tech moved to 9-4.
Ben Hudson earned the start for the Nittany Lions, throwing 1.2 innings. He was charged with 11 runs on seven hits and three walks. Ethan Bauerschmidt tossed 1.2 frames. He gave up three runs on five hits, while striking out one. Logan Olson worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits. Braden Leed threw one inning, giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits. Harrison Lollin tossed a shutout inning and struck out two.
Connor Mohan got the start for Texas Tech, going three innings. He gave up four runs on six hits. Mohan had six strikeouts and walked one batter. Ryan Free worked 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out two. Heerun Han threw two-thirds of an inning. Brady Trombello threw a scoreless seventh.
Penn State tallied six runs on 10 hits. Cohl Mercado collected three hits, including a solo homer, and two runs. Michael Anderson added a two-run homer. Jack Porter contributed to hits and two runs, while Jayden Davis had two hits and a run.
Mercado became the first Nittany Lion to hit a game-leadoff homer since Ryan Weingartner on April 15, 2025 against Delaware.
Texas Tech collected 21 runs on 18 hits. Jesse Rusinek drove in five runs with three hits, including two triples. Logan Hughes and Robin Villeneuve both homered and drove in four runs. Linkin Garcia added three hits and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead. Leading off the game, Cohl Mercado blasted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right. The 404-foot homer gave PSU a 1-0 advantage.
Texas Tech responded in the bottom of the first. Kyeler Thompson worked a leadoff walk before stealing second and moving to third on a groundout. Connor Shouse sent a single to left-center to bring in Thompson. After a walk by Logan Hughes, a single by Linkin Garcia brought in Shouse. The bases were loaded after Caden Ferraro was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Jesse Rusinek ripped a triple to right-center to clear the bases. Robin Villeneuve followed with a homer to right. The Red Raiders led 7-1.
Penn State added a run in the second. Jack Porter began the frame with a single to center. Two batters later, Jesse Jaconski smacked a double to left-center as Porter hustled home from first. PSU trimmed its deficit to 7-2.
The Red Raiders answered with four runs in the bottom half. With one out, Shouse reached on an infield single and then stole second. A single by Hughes drove in Shouse. After a double by Garcia and a walk by Ferraro, a sac fly by Matt Quintanar brought in Hughes. A triple to right-center by Rusinek drove in two. Texas Tech held an 11-2 lead.
The Nittany Lions tallied two runs in the third. After a leadoff single by Mercado, Anderson launched a 3-1 pitch over the wall in left. The 437-foot homer trimmed PSU’s deficit to 11-4.
Texas Tech added a run in the third and two in the fourth. In the third, with one out, Tracer Lopez singled to left. After Shouse was hit by a pitch and Hughes walked, Garcia reached on a fielder’s choice as Lopez crossed the plate. In the fourth, with the bases loaded, Thompson was hit by a pitch to allow Ferraro to score. A sac fly by Lopez brought in Quintanar. The Red Raiders led 14-4.
The Red Raiders tallied three runs in the fifth. After Hughes walked and Garcia singled, a double by Ferraro brought in Hughes. Later in the inning, Villeneuve sent a single to left to bring in Garcia and Ferraro. Texas Tech held a 17-4 lead.
Penn State plated two runs in the sixth. Jayden Davis started the frame with a single to left-center followed by a single by Porter. Avery Smith ripped a single through the left side to bring in Davis. After a walk by Jesse Jaconski, a fielder’s choice by Preston Yaucher allowed Porter to score. PSU trailed 17-6.
Texas Tech added four runs in the sixth on a three-run homer by Hughes and an RBI double by AJ Goytia. The Red Raiders led 21-6.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions conclude the series against the Red Raiders on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The 2026 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.