CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Penn State baseball team dropped a pair of games in a doubleheader at Illinois on Saturday. The Nittany Lions fell 17-6 in game one and 12-8 in game two, taking leads into the fifth in both games. Penn State is now 13-12 overall and 1-5 in Big Ten play. Illinois improved to 14-12 overall and 5-1 in conference action.
In game one, J.T. Marr, Kevin Michaels and Bryce Molinaro all homered and PSU got five strong innings from Jaden Henline, but could not hold onto the lead.
In game two, Adam Cecere drove in four runs, including a three-run homer, while Bobby Marsh and Matt Maloney each collected three hits.
Penn State welcomes Bucknell on Tuesday, April 2 for its third Dollar Dog Night of the season. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
The Nittany Lions host Northwestern for a three-game Big Ten series beginning on Friday, April 5.
For updates on the Penn State baseball team, please follow @pennstatebase on X and Instagram.
The 2024 Penn State baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
Game One
Jaden Henline made his sixth start of the season for the Nittany Lions. He threw five strong innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out three. He worked four scoreless innings until a solo homer in the fifth. Henline tossed 1-2-3 innings in the second and fourth.
Frankie Sanchez went one inning, giving up five runs on five hits. Will Perkowski was charged with eight runs in 1.1 innings. Brandon Wingenroth allowed three runs in one-third of an inning.
Cooper Omans got the start for Illinois, going 4.1 innings. He allowed six runs, including three homers, on five hits. Omans recorded three walks and three strikeouts. Korey Bunselmeyer tossed 2.2 scoreless innings. Jake Rons threw a scoreless ninth.
Penn State collected six runs on nine hits, including three homers. J.T. Marr notched a double and a homer, while driving in two runs. Bryce Molinaro added two hits, including a solo homer. Kevin Michaels launched a solo homer.
Illinois scored 17 runs on 16 hits. Brody Harding hit two homers for four RBI and scored three times. Drake Westcott added two homers, totaling three RBI, and three runs. Camden Janik and Jacob Schroeder also homered.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the third. Tayven Kelley held off on a 3-1 pitch for a leadoff walk. He advanced to second on a wild pitch before Michaels drew a walk. Kyle Hannon dropped down a bunt with Kelley beating the throw to third to load the bases. Joe Jaconski bounced into a double play, but Kelley scored on the play. Penn State led 1-0.
Penn State added two runs in the fourth, both on solo homers. Leading off the inning, Marr hammered a 1-1 pitch over the scoreboard in right, his third of the season. Three batters later, Molinaro launched a fly ball over the batter's eye. The 467-foot blast put Penn State up, 3-0.
The Blue and White plated three runs in the fifth. Michaels started the inning by blasting a 1-0 pitch over the left-center fence for his first homer as a Nittany Lion. Two batters later, Jaconski worked a walk. A single by Marsh put runners on the corners. Marr lined a double to right-center to drive in Jaconski. With two outs, Grant Norris bounced a single into right to bring home Marr.
In the bottom of the fifth, Illinois' Harding launched a solo homer to right. Penn State led 6-1 through five.
The Illini cut their deficit in the sixth. Cameron Chee-Aloy was hit by a pitch to lead off. He went to second and third on a pair of wild pitches. Janik blasted a two-run homer to left-center. Westcott followed with a homer to right-center. Penn State still led 6-4.
Illinois took the lead in the seventh. Coltin Quagliano led off the inning with a double. Chee-Aloy bounced a single through the middle to plate Quagliano. With two outs, Westcott launched a two-run homer to center. Illinois led 7-6 through seven.
The Illini clinched a run-rule victory with 10 runs in the eighth. Ryan Moerman was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. Schroeder followed with a two-run homer to right. After a walk by Harding and a single by Quagliano, a sac fly by Chee-Aloy brought home Harding. A double by Cal Hejza plated Quagliano before a single by Janik scored Hejza. After Westcott was intentionally walked, a single by Vytas Valincius drove in Janik. An RBI single by Schroeder scored Westcott before Harding ended the game with a three-run homer to right.
Game Two
Matt Morash got the start for the Nittany Lions, going 3.1 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out four. Mason Butash was charged with four runs over two-thirds of an inning. Chic DeGaetano threw one inning, allowing a run. Ben DeMell gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits over an inning. David Lee worked two perfect innings, including two strikeouts.
Jake Swartz made the start for Illinois, allowing five runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out six and walked two. Ben Plumley gave up two runs on six hits over an inning. Joseph Glassey picked up the save, allowing one run in 3.2 innings.
Penn State notched eight runs on 17 hits. Adam Cecere led the way with three hits, including a three-run homer, and four RBI. Bobby Marsh added three hits, including a double, two RBI and two runs. Matt Maloney tallied three hits, including an RBI double. J.T. Marr contributed two hits, including an RBI double, while Joe Jaconski and Kevin Michaels each had two hits and two runs.
Illinois scored 12 runs on 12 hits. Jacob Schroeder launched two homers, totaling six RBI, and scored three times. Coltin Quagliano had three hits, including a homer, and two RBI. Cal Hejza collected three hits, including a solo homer.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early lead in the first. Jaconski worked a leadoff walk and moved to second on a single by Marsh. Two batters later, Cecere launched the first pitch he saw over the wall in right for a three-run homer. PSU held a 3-0 lead.
Penn State extended its lead in the third. With one out, Marr reached on a single to right-center. Cecere followed with a single to put two runners on. Maloney lined a double to right to plate Marr. PSU led 4-0.
Illinois cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third on solo homers by Quagliano and Hejza. Penn State still led 4-2.
Penn State responded in the top of the fourth. Michaels started the frame with a single to left. He stole second before moving to third on a pop out to shallow right. Marsh sent a grounder into the right field corner for a double as Michaels scored.
Illinois answered in the bottom half. With one out, Vytas Valincius hit a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right. After walks by Schroeder and Brody Harding, Quagliano singled to right to drive in Schroeder. Penn State led 5-4 through four.
The Illini took the lead in the fifth. Hejza led off with a single. Camden Janik was hit by a pitch and Drake Westcott walked to load the bases. After a pair of flyball outs, Schroeder's fly ball to left snuck over the fence for a grand slam. Illinois led 8-5.
Penn State responded with two runs in the top of the sixth. With one out, Jaconski lined a double to left-center. A single by Marsh put runners on the corners. Marr sent a fly ball to the wall in right-center for a double to score Jaconski. Cecere followed with a single to right to bring home Marsh. PSU cut its deficit to 8-7.
Illinois answered with two runs in the bottom half. Quagliano started the inning with a double. A single by Cameron Chee-Aloy put runners at the corners. Hejza bounced into a double play, but Quagliano scored. After a single by Janik, a fly ball by Westcott was misplayed in right to allow Janik to score. Illinois led 10-7.
Penn State added a run in the seventh. Michaels was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. Kyle Hannon reached on a bunt single before Jaconski singled to right to load the bases. Marsh lifted a fly ball to center for a sac fly as Michaels scored. With one out, Marr dribbled a grounder up the middle, but it was snagged by a diving Hejza, who flipped to second to start a double play. PSU still trailed 10-8.
Illinois plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a homer to right-center by Schroeder. The Illini led 12-8.
JT Marr