Anderson Crushes Two Homers, Leads Baseball To 9-7 Win Over Bucknell

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Michael Anderson blasted two homers to lead Penn State baseball to a 9-7 win over Bucknell on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. After Jayden Davis led off the first with a homer, Anderson launched a two-run homer in the fourth and a solo shot in the eighth.

 

The Nittany Lions improved to 12-26 overall, while Bucknell dropped to 21-19.

 

On Dollar Dog Night, Penn State welcomed a season-high 4,082 fans, who consumed a season-best 9,319 hot dogs. Since 2023, Penn State fans have eaten 94,935 hot dogs over 18 Dollar Dog Nights. PSU improved to 13-5 on Dollar Dog Nights, including 3-0 this season.

 

Mason Horwat made the start for the Nittany Lions, firing three shutout innings. He allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out three. Horwat retired the first five batters of the game and had multiple strikeouts in the third.

 

Frankie Sanchez worked one inning, giving up one run on two hits and striking out one. Robert Brown III allowed three runs over one-third of an inning. Matthew VanOstenbridge surrendered two runs over one-third of a frame. Dimond Loosli worked 1.1 scoreless frames and tallied a strikeout. Ethan Bauerschmidt tossed 1.2 scoreless innings. He walked two batters and struck out one. Ben DeMell picked up the save, going 1.1 innings.

 

Frankie Bilecki got the start for Bucknell, going three innings. He allowed three runs on four hits. Bilecki recorded two strikeouts and two walks. Mikey Myro surrendered five runs on five hits over 1.2 innings. He tallied two strikeouts and a walk. Tyler Hawkins worked 2.1 scoreless innings and struck out three. Bryce Mitchell allowed one run over one inning of work.

 

Penn State collected nine runs on 11 hits. Michael Anderson launched two homers, totaling three RBI, and scored three times. Jayden Davis added a solo homer and two runs, while Jack Porter notched two hits, including an RBI single, and two runs. Maddox McDonald drove in two runs.

 

With his two homers on Wednesday, Anderson moved into second in a season in Penn State history with 18 homers. On the night, he passed Dave Simononis (17; 1978) and Adam Cecere (17; 2024).

 

Bucknell plated seven runs on eight hits. Ryan Facinelli and Andrew Swenson each drove in two runs. Michael Trommer had two hits and scored a run, while Deacon Bowne contributed two hits, including an RBI single.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead. Leading off the bottom of the first, Jayden Davis launched a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left-center. PSU took a 1-0 lead.

 

Penn State added a run in the second. Jack Porter held off on a 3-1 pitch for a leadoff walk. Kevin Karstetter was hit by a pitch before Avery Smith worked a nine-pitch walk to load the bases. Maddox McDonald lifted a fly ball to left-center for a sac fly to drive in Porter. PSU pushed its lead to 2-0.

 

The Nittany Lions plated a run in the third. Michael Anderson was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. Two batters later, Spencer Barnett sent a single to right to put runners on first and second. Porter ripped a single through the left side to bring in Anderson. Penn State led 3-0.

 

Bucknell answered in the top of the fourth. With one out, Zach Selfon chopped a grounder through the middle. John Calabrese lined a double to right to put runners on second and third. Ryan Facinelli grounded out to third but allowed Selfon to cross the plate. PSU held a 3-1 advantage.

 

The Nittany Lions extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Davis worked a walk. Anderson launched a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left. The 437-foot homer pushed PSU’s lead to 5-1.

 

Bucknell responded in the top of the fifth. Walks by Deacon Bowne and Billy Fluharty and a single by Michael Trommer loaded the bases. Ty Lagoni lifted a sac fly to center to bring in Bowne. A groundout by Garrett Mathis allowed Fluharty to score. A walk by Selfon and a hit-by-pitch by Calabrese re-loaded the bases. Facinelli drew a walk to bring in Trommer before Andrew Swenson lined a single to center to bring in two runs. Bucknell took a 6-5 lead.

 

The Nittany Lions re-claimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Porter drilled a single to left. Karstetter landed a fly ball in the right-center gap to put runners on second and third. Smith lined a single to right to drive in Porter. A squeeze bunt by McDonald allowed Porter to cross the plate. A wild pitch let Smith score to move the PSU lead to 8-6.

 

In the eighth, with two outs, Anderson blasted his second homer of the night. He launched a 1-0 pitch over the wall in center. The 411-foot homer extended PSU’s lead to 9-6.

 

In the ninth, Seflon worked a leadoff double for the Bison. He moved up to second with two outs before Lleyton Coupe drew a walk. Bowne shot a grounder through the right side to bring in Selfon for the final 9-7 tally.

 

Up Next

Penn State travels to No. 19 Oregon this weekend, April 24-26, for a three-game Big Ten series.

 

Friday’s game is set to begin at 9:05 p.m. ET. Saturday’s game will start at 7:05 p.m. ET and Sunday will start at 3:05 p.m. ET.

 

All three games will be streamed on B1G+.