Baseball Powers Past Rutgers On Sunday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team survived a fierce comeback from Rutgers to earn a 14-13 win on Sunday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions jumped out to a 13-2 lead going into the sixth, but the Scarlet Knights rallied to bring the game within one. PSU’s offense included five homers, including back-to-back-to-back blasts in the fourth.

 

Penn State improved to 11-26 overall (5-13 Big Ten), while Rutgers dropped to 20-20 overall (6-12 Big Ten). Rutgers took the series with wins on Friday and Saturday.

 

Isaiah Shayter made his 10^th start of the year for the Nittany Lions, tossing four innings. He allowed two runs on four hits. Shayter tallied four strikeouts and three walks and held Rutgers scoreless through his first three innings.

 

Dimond Loosli worked a scoreless inning, including a strikeout. Mason Butash went 1.1 innings and was charged with five runs on five hits. Ben DeMell gave up two runs over two-thirds of an inning before Harrison Lollin allowed three runs (one earned) over two-thirds of a frame. Kyle Emmons picked up the save, going 1.1 innings and allowing one run.

 

Dallin Harrison got the start for the Scarlet Knights, going 2.1 innings. He gave up four runs on five hits. Harrison had two strikeouts and one walk. Zach Gleason went two-thirds of an inning, giving up one run on one hit. Jack Kirchner allowed two runs without recording an out before Jacob Pedersen gave up three runs over one-third of an inning. Matthew Cruz surrendered two runs over 1.1 frames. Henry Radbill gave up two runs over one-third of a frame. Finn Haines worked two scoreless innings. Jordan Savinon threw a scoreless eighth.

 

Penn State tallied 14 runs on 17 hits. Bryce Molinaro collected three hits, including a double and two homers, and four RBI. Michael Anderson contributed a double and a homer, while driving in three runs. Spencer Barnett had three hits, including two doubles and a solo homer. Jack Porter launched a two-run homer and scored three times.

 

The Nittany Lions’ back-to-back-to-back homers in the fourth inning marked the first time PSU has done that since at least 2004.

 

Penn State launched three home runs in an inning for the first time since April 12, 2024 when Bobby Marsh, Adam Cecere and Molinaro went yard in the fifth inning.

 

With two homers on Sunday, Molinaro joined Shawn Fagan (1997-00) as the only Nittany Lions with three seasons of 10+ homers in their careers. Molinaro hit his 34^th and 35^th career homers, passing Chris Netwall (34; 1998-01) for second all-time at PSU. Molinaro trails only Fagan (43) on the all-time list.

 

Molinaro posted his sixth career multi-homer game.

 

Anderson blasted his 16^th home run of the 2026 season. He moved into a tie for fourth in a season at PSU with Dan Beers (16; 1998). Anderson has homered every Big Ten weekend this season.

 

Rutgers tallied 13 runs on 18 hits. Trey Wells went four-for-five with a triple and two homers, while driving in five runs. Julius Rosado added a three-run triple. Ryan Jaros had two hits, including a solo homer.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead. Spencer Barnett sent a leadoff double to the wall in left-center. Jack Porter worked a four-pitch walk before Kevin Karstetter dribbled a single through the middle to load the bases. After Barnett was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, Preston Yaucher lined a single to left to bring in Porter and Karstetter. Penn State led 2-0.

 

Penn State added on in the third. Michael Anderson snuck a grounder inside the third base bag and hustled to second for a leadoff double. Bryce Molinaro smacked a double to right-center to bring in Anderson. Two batters later, Porter launched the first pitch he saw over the wall in left. Porter’s 410-foot homer pushed the PSU lead to 5-0.

 

Rutgers cut into the Nittany Lions’ lead in the fourth. With two outs, Matt Chatelle lined a single to right-center. Trey Wells blasted a 2-1 pitch off the batter’s eye. PSU still led, 5-2.

 

The Nittany Lions exploded for five runs in the fourth, including back-to-back-to-back homers. Yaucher smacked a leadoff single to center before Jayden Davis landed a fly ball in center to put runners at first and second. Anderson launched a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left-center, going 433 feet. Bryce Molinaro blasted a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left, going 444 feet. Spencer Barnett followed with a 456-foot shot to center. Penn State held a 10-2 lead.

 

Penn State added four runs in the fifth. After Davis worked a one-out walk, Molinaro hammered an 0-1 pitch over the wall in right. Barnett sent a grounder through the middle and hustled to second for a double. A fly ball by Porter to left was dropped to bring in Barnett before Maddox McDonald lined a single to right to drive in Porter. The Nittany Lions led 14-2.

 

Rutgers plated seven runs in the top of the seventh. With one out, Chase Krewson dropped a single into center before Ryan Jaros’ fly ball landed in left. Tristan Salinas beat out an infield single to load the bases. Jack Sweeney smacked a single to left to bring in Krewson. Julius Rosado lined a triple off the wall in right-center to clear the bases. Yomar Carreras chopped a groundout to the left side but allowed Rosado to score. Gabriel Rivera and Chatelle reached on back-to-back singles before Wells sent a grounder to the corner in right for a triple to bring in two runs. Penn State still led, 14-9.

 

The Scarlet Knights added three runs in the eighth. Jaros hit a leadoff homer to left. A single by Salinas ended up with him at second after an error and third after a groundout. Carreras singled to right to bring in Jaros before Rivera smacked a double off the wall in right-center to drive in Carreras. Penn State held a 14-12 lead.

 

In the top of the ninth, Wells led off the inning with a homer to right to bring the game within one, 14-13. After Krewson singled and moved to second on a sac bunt, consecutive fly outs ended the game.

 

Up Next

Penn State hosts Bucknell on Tuesday, April 21 for Dollar Dog Night. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. with a stream on B1G+.

 

All games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are free for all ages.