LUBBOCK, Texas – The Penn State baseball team dropped a 15-7 decision against Texas Tech on Friday evening at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. The Nittany Lions battled within two runs in the fifth, but the Red Raiders answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and pulled away for the victory.
Penn State dropped to 4-7 overall, while Texas Tech improved to 8-4 on the season.
Colin Fitzgerald made his fourth start of the year for the Nittany Lions, recording two outs. He was charged with six runs on five hits and two walks. Mason Horwat worked 3.1 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and striking out two. Horwat retired 10-straight batters between the first and fourth innings.
Ben DeMell went one-third of an inning, giving up three runs on two hits. Matthew VanOstenbridge threw 1.2 frames, allowing one run on two hits and striking out two. Frankie Sanchez went one innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and recording two strikeouts. Skip Shenosky allowed two runs and notched one strikeout over one inning.
Lucas Pirko got the start on the mound for Texas Tech, throwing 4.2 innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits. Pirko recorded three strikeouts and three walks. Jesse Rusinek threw 1.1 scoreless innings. Jackson Burns secured a shutout inning. Bryce Suiter gave up two runs on two hits in one inning of work. Jacob Rogers threw a shutout ninth.
Penn State collected seven runs on 10 hits. Bryce Molinaro contributed two hits, including a three-run homer. Avery Smith added a solo homer, while Michael Anderson tallied two hits and two RBI. Preston Yaucher had an RBI double.
Texas Tech tallied 15 runs on 17 hits. Kyeler Thompson had four hits, including two doubles, two RBI and three runs. Connor Shouse and Linkin Garcia both doubled and drove in three runs. Caden Ferraro homered and drove in two runs, while Davis Rivers and Robin Villeneuve had solo homers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Texas Tech jumped out to an early lead. Kyeler Thompson started the inning with a single through the middle. He stole second and moved up to third on a throwing error. After a walk by Tracer Lopez, a double to left-center by Connor Shouse brought in Thompson and Lopez. Logan Hughes drew a walk before a check swing by Linkin Garcia landed inside the right-field line for a double as Lopez scored. An infield single by Caden Ferraro brought in Hughes. Matt Quintanar followed with a double inside the third base bag to bring in Ferraro and Garcia. The Red Raiders led 6-0.
Penn State answered with a run in the top of the second. Leading off the inning, Avery Smith hit a towering shot on a 1-0 pitch that went over the wall in left. The 328-foot homer cut PSU’s deficit to 6-1.
The Nittany Lions added a run in the fourth. With one out, Justin Turcovski ripped a single through the right side. Smith held off on a 3-2 pitch for a walk. A line drive by Preston Yaucher tipped off the third baseman’s glove as Turcovski scored and Yaucher hustled to second for a double. PSU trailed 6-2.
Texas Tech responded with a run in the bottom half. With one out, Thompson sent a double to left-center. After a single by Lopez put runners on the corners, a fielder’s choice by Shouse drove in Thompson. The Red Raiders pushed their lead to 7-2.
The Nittany Lions plated three runs in the fifth. Cohl Mercado started the frame with a single through the middle. Michael Anderson followed with a single to left. On the first pitch he saw, Molinaro blasted a fly ball over the batter’s eye. His 455-foot homer brought PSU within two, trailing 7-5.
The Red Raiders answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Quintanar reached on a walk before Davis Rivers was hit by a pitch. A pop up by Robin Villeneuve landed fair to load the bases. A fly ball by Thompson landed on the warning track in center for a double to bring in Quintanar and Rivers. A sac fly by Lopez brought home Villeneuve. Texas Tech led 10-5.
Texas Tech added a run in the sixth. With two outs, Caden Ferraro sent a fly ball over the wall in right-center. The Red Raiders held an 11-5 lead.
The Red Raiders plated two runs in the seventh. Villeneuve, Thompson and Lopez began the inning with singles to load the bases. Shouse was hit by a pitch to bring in Villeneuve. Two batters later, Garcia reached on a fielder’s choice to allow Thompson to cross the plate. Texas Tech led 13-5.
The Nittany Lions responded with two runs in the eighth. Turcovski reached on a leadoff walk. With two outs, Maddox McDonald beat out an infield single. A walk drawn by Mercado loaded the bases. Anderson poked a single into left to drive in Turcovski and McDonald. PSU trailed 13-7.
Texas Tech added two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Rivers and Villeneuve hit back-to-back homers to push the Red Raiders’ lead to 15-7.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions continue the series against the Red Raiders on Saturday with a 3 p.m. ET first pitch. Sunday’s series finale is set for 2 p.m. ET.
The 2026 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.