UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team fell 6-3 against USC on Saturday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Nittany Lions chipped away with two runs in the fifth and one in the eighth, but the Trojans held on for the victory. The series is even at 1-1 going into Sunday’s finale.
Penn State is now 22-11 overall (10-7 Big Ten), while USC improved to 22-12 this season (10-7 Big Ten).
Mason Horwat earned his eighth start of the year for the Nittany Lions, working into the fifth inning. He allowed four runs on 10 hits. Horwat recorded four strikeouts and two walks.
Matthew VanOstenbridge threw three innings. He gave up one run (unearned) on two hits. He notched a career-high four strikeouts and allowed one walk. Harrison Lollin worked two scoreless innings and secured three strikeouts.
Caden Aoki got the start for USC, tossing seven innings. He allowed two runs on three hits. The senior registered six strikeouts and two walks. Andrew Johnson picked up the save, going two innings. He gave up one run and struck out three.
Penn State plated three runs on six hits. Joey DeMucci collected two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Ryan Weingartner added an RBI single. Paxton Kling recorded a triple and scored a run.
USC collected six runs on 13 hits. Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek went three-for-five with an RBI and a run. Andrew Lamb notched two hits, including a double, and scored twice. Richard Tejeda added two hits and a run.
USC got on the board in the third. Tejeda reached on an infield single to start the inning. Ethan Hedges worked a four-pitch walk to put runners on first and second. Martin-Grudzielanek shot a single through the left side to bring in Tejeda. USC led 1-0.
The Trojans added two runs in the fourth. Abbrie Covarrubias led off the frame with a double to right-center. Augie Lopez sent a grounder through the left side to drive in Covarrubias. After Kade Higgins reached on a fielder’s choice, a single by Tejeda put runners on second and third. Brayden Dowd dribbled a single through the middle to bring home Higgins. Penn State trailed 3-0.
USC plated two runs in the fifth. Martin Grudzielanek started the inning with a single to left. Lamb lined a double to right to put runners at second and third. After a walk by Covarrubias loaded the bases, Dean Carpentier worked a walk to bring home Martin-Grudzielanek. Kade Higgins lifted a fly ball to left for a sac fly as Lamb crossed the plate. USC extended its lead to 5-0.
Penn State chipped away in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Jesse Jaconski dropped a single into left. Two batters later, DeMucci smacked a line drive into right-center and hustled to second for a double. A wild pitch allowed Jaconski to score. Mike Lucarelli worked a walk to put runners at the corners. Weingartner ripped a single to left to drive in DeMucci. PSU trailed 5-2.
USC added a run in the seventh. Lamb placed a bunt down the third base line and beat the throw for a single. Two batters later, pinch-hitter Adrian Lopez lined a double to right to put runners on second and third. Carpentier chopped a grounder on the left side and the throw home was wide to allow Lamb to score. The Trojans pushed their lead to 6-2.
Penn State answered with a run in the eighth. With one out, a fly ball to right by Kling landed on the warning track as Kling hustled to third for a triple. A wild pitch allowed Kling to cross the plate and trim PSU’s deficit to 6-3.
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m. and includes a White Out, encouraging fans to wear white, postgame autographs, a trading card set giveaway and postgame kids run the bases.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.