Baseball Earns 14-9 Win In Series Finale At Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Penn State baseball team exploded for 11 runs in the second on its way to a 14-9 win in the series finale against Purdue on Sunday afternoon at Alexander Field. Bryce Molinaro tripled and homered in the second, while Michael Anderson added a three-run homer.

 

The Nittany Lions improved to 6-15 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten, while Purdue dropped to 15-7 overall and 5-4 in conference play.

 

The Nittany Lions plated 11 runs on nine hits in the second inning. It was Penn State’s first 10-run inning since April 23, 2023 at Ohio State (4^th inning; 10 runs) and Penn State’s biggest scoring inning since a 14-run inning against Pitt on May 9, 2022 (9^th inning). Ten Nittany Lion runs scored before an out was recorded in the inning.

 

In that inning, Bryce Molinaro led off with a triple and added a two-run homer. He became the first Nittany Lion with two hits in an inning since J.T. Marr against Pitt on March 26, 2024.

 

Isaiah Shayter got the start on the mound for the Nittany Lions, tossing four innings. He allowed four runs on six hits. Shayter secured three strikeouts and walked one batter.

Mason Horwat allowed three runs on two hits and two walks without recording an out. Mason Butash worked 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out one. Matthew VanOstenbridge worked one shutout inning, recording two strikeouts. Ethan Bauerschmidt got the final two outs of the ninth.

 

Jarvis Evans earned the start for Purdue. He threw one inning, and into the second inning, allowing five runs on two hits and a walk. Austin Klug allowed four runs without recording an out. Graham Kollen gave up two runs without recording an out. Jacob Boland fired 4.1 innings, surrendering one run on four hits. Boland struck out four and walked three. Thomas Howard allowed two runs (unearned) over 2.2 innings. Jake Kramer worked one inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.

 

Penn State collected 14 runs on 15 hits. Molinaro finished a double shy of the cycle with three hits, including a triple and a two-run homer, and two runs. Michael Anderson launched his 10^th homer of the year, a three-run shot, among two hits. Spencer Barnett drove in two runs with three hits, including two doubles. Jack Porter added two hits, a double, and two RBI, while Jayden Davis had two hits, including a triple, two runs and two steals. Joey DeMucci had a three-run triple.

 

Purdue scored nine runs on 13 hits. Sam Flores homered and drove in four runs. Eli Anderson added three hits and scored twice. Jackson Bessette contributed a two-run double.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Nittany Lions plated a run in the first. Cohl Mercado was hit on a 3-2 pitch. He moved up to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a fly out by Michael Anderson. Jack Porter lifted a fly ball to center for a sac fly to bring in Mercado. Penn State led 1-0.

 

Purdue answered in the bottom of the first. Ali Banks was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. On a hit-and-run, Eli Anderson bounced a single through the left side as Banks hustled to third. Sam Flores launched a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center to give the Boilermakers a 3-1 lead.

 

Penn State exploded for 11 runs on nine hits in the top of the second. Bryce Molinaro led off the inning with a triple off the wall in center. After a walk by Jayden Davis and a hit-by-pitch by Kevin Karstetter, a line drive by Joey DeMucci landed in the right-center gap to clear the bases as DeMucci hustled to third for.a triple. After a pitching change, Maddox McDonald sent a single through the left side to plate DeMucci. After a single by Mercado, Anderson blasted the first pitch he saw over the wall in left-center. Porter singled to right to continue the frame. Porter moved up on a wild pitch before scoring on a double to left by Spencer Barnett. For his second hit of the inning, Molinaro blasted a 3-2 pitch over the right-center wall. After a second pitching change, Davis lined a triple to right. Karstetter lifted a sac fly to right to bring in Davis for the final run of the inning, giving Penn State a 12-3 lead.

 

Purdue answered with a run in the bottom of the second. Dylan Drake began the inning with a single through the middle. Westin Boyle added a single to right to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch ricocheted off the wall and back to DeMucci, who tagged out Drake at home. Trey Swiderski singled to left to put runners on the corners again. Banks bounced into a groundout, but allowed Boyle to cross the plate. Purdue trailed 12-4.

 

The Boilermakers chipped away with three runs in the fifth. After walks by Flores and Aaron Manias, Jimmy Dionne singled to load the bases. Jackson Bessette lined a double down the left-field line to bring in Flores and Manias. After a pitching change, Drake lifted a sac fly to left to drive in Dionne. Penn State led 12-7 through five.

 

Purdue added on in the eighth. With one out, the Boilermakers got back-to-back singles by Quincy Malbrough and Anderson. Flores sent a single into right to bring in Malbrough. A sac fly by Manias brought in Anderson to cut Purdue’s deficit to 12-9.

 

Penn State answered with a pair of runs in the ninth. McDonald and Mercado reached on back-to-back errors. McDonald moved up to third on a flyout by Anderson and scored on a sac fly by Porter. After Mercado stole second, Barnett ripped a double to the left-center gap to drive in Mercado. The Nittany Lions led 14-9.

 

UP NEXT

Penn State hosts a pair of midweek games. The Nittany Lions take on St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, March 24 at 5:30 p.m. on Dollar Dog Night and Bucknell on Wednesday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m.

 

The Nittany Lions welcome Illinois for a three-game Big Ten series next weekend. All games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are free admission for all ages.

 

The 2026 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.