UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team fell 7-1 against Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions took a 1-0 lead into the eighth off of a strong start by Jaden Henline, but the Scarlet Knights broke through with seven runs in the top of the eighth. Penn State is now 22-22 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten play. Rutgers moved to 27-22.
On Senior weekend, Henline made the start for the Nittany Lions, firing seven shutout innings. The Pennsylvania native allowed just three hits and two walks, while striking out four. Henline forced 13 groundouts. Henline worked three different 1-2-3 frames.
Frankie Sanchez threw one-third of an inning, giving up six runs on four hits and two walks. Will Perkowski worked two-thirds of a frame, allowing one run on three hits. Chic DeGaetano threw a scoreless ninth and striking out one.
Donovan Zsak got the start for Rutgers, tossing six innings. He allowed one run (unearned) on two hits. Zsak notched three strikeouts and walked two batters. Jordan Falco threw three shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out two.
Penn State notched one run on five hits. J.T. Marr recorded his 24th multi-hit game of the season with three hits, including a double, and a run. It was Marr's 12th three-hit game of the 2024 campaign. Bryce Molinaro extended his hit streak to nine games with a single.
Rutgers tallied seven runs on 11 hits. Trevor Cohen had a two-run triple, while Pete Durocher registered two hits and two RBI. Josh Kuroda-Grauer contributed two hits and drove in a run.
The Nittany Lions got on the board in the bottom of the first. With one out, Marr sent a grounder through the left side for a single. A ground ball by Adam Cecere was mishandled at first to allow Marr to go to third. Grant Norris bounced a grounder on the left side to bring home Marr. Penn State led 1-0.
In the seventh, with one out, Bobby Marsh dropped a single into right-center. Molinaro followed with a line drive into center to move pinch-runner Derek Cease to second. However, a ground ball by Tayven Kelley was snagged by the shortstop to start an inning-ending double play. The score remained 1-0.
Rutgers took the lead in the top of the eighth. Johnny Volpe started the inning with a single to left. Two batters later, Ty Doucette drew a walk. A double to right by Tony Santa Maria brought home Volpe. Scotty Young worked a 3-1 count before being intentionally walked. Durocher sent a single through the left side to plate Doucette and Santa Maria. A triple by Cohen drove in Young and Durocher. On a squeeze play, Jackson Natili placed a perfect bunt down the left side to bring in Cohen from third. With two outs, Kuroda-Grauer sent a single into left to bring home Natili. The Scarlet Knights led 7-1.
The series between the Nittany Lions and Scarlet Knights concludes with Sunday's Senior Day game, set for 1 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on B1G+.
All home games are free admission for all ages.
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.
Jaden Henline