2024 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
Awards: Voted third-team All-Big Ten…Named to Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
Season: Started all 53 games at third base…Batted .329 with a .560 slugging percentage and .409 on-base percentage…Collected 68 hits, including 13 doubles, one triple and 11 homers, 45 RBI and 46 runs…Tallied 25 walks, six hit-by-pitches and seven steals…Had 19 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI games…Had a 14-game hit-streak (3/16-4/12) and ended season on an 18-game hit streak (4/21-5/26)…In conference games, batted .337 with 32 hits, including five doubles, one triple and eight homers, 22 RBI and 25 runs…Had a .663 slugging percentage and .422 on-base percentage, while collecting 12 walks and five steals…In the Big Ten Tournament, batted .375 with six hits, including two doubles and one homer, five RBI and two runs.
Game-by-Game: vs. Monmouth, Army (2/16-18): Had two hits and three RBI on the weekend, driving in one run each against Monmouth (2/16, 2/17) and Army (2/18). at Stanford (2/23-25): Tallied five hits, including two homers, five RBI and four runs in the series…Collected three hits, including a solo homer, two RBI, three runs and two walks in game one…Launched a solo homer and a sac fly, while scoring a run, in game two…Had an RBI single in game three. at Davidson (3/2-3): Had two hits, including a two-run single, three RBI and two runs in game two. at Virginia (3/5): Recorded a double and an RBI single. vs. Harvard (3/8): Tallied three hits and scored a run in the second game of a doubleheader. UMass Lowell (3/16): Collected three hits, including two doubles, drove in a run and scored four times. St. Bonaventure (3/19): Singled and scored a run. Michigan (3/22-24): Had at least one hit in each game of the series…Collected two hits, including an RBI single, and scored a run in game two. Pitt (3/26): Recorded an RBI double and a sac fly. at Illinois (3/29-30): Tallied four hits and three RBI in the series…Notched a two-run double in game one…Blasted a solo homer among two hits in game two…Totaled three walks and a single in game three. vs. Northwestern (4/5-7): Notched seven hits, three RBI and six runs…Recorded two hits, including a triple, and scored a run in the series opener…Tallied three hits, including an RBI double, and stole a base in the second game…Registered two hits, including a two-run homer, and scored four times. FDU (4/9): Lined a two-run double. at Indiana (4/12): Crushed a pair of homers, totaling three RBI. Kent State (4/16): Secured two hits, including a double, and scored two runs. at Michigan State (4/19-21): Lined an RBI double and scored a run in game one…Blasted a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth in game three. Minnesota (4/26-28): Collected five hits, three RBI and three runs in the series…Tallied an RBI double among three hits, scored two runs and added a steal in game one…Lined a two-run single in game three. at Georgetown (5/3): Had two hits and a stolen base. at Navy (5/5): Secured two hits and scored a run. at West Virginia (5/8): Collected two hits and scored a run. Rutgers (5/10-12): Launched two homers in the series opener…Collected a hit and scored three runs in the series finale. at Maryland (5/16-17): Tallied a hit in each game of the series…Had an RBI single and stole a base in game one…Launched a two-run homer in game two…Doubled and scored two runs in game three. vs. Illinois (5/22): Had a double in the Big Ten Tournament opener. vs. Michigan (5/23): Launched a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning of the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal…Added two hits, including a double. vs. Michigan (5/25): Had an RBI single and walked twice in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinal.
BEFORE PSU
Was a member of the St. John’s University baseball program, but did not see any action in 2023…Played summer league with the New Britain Bees in the Futures College Baseball League, earning an All-Star selection…Collected 35 hits, including six doubles and four homers, 25 RBI and 19 runs with the Bees.
HIGH SCHOOL
Was a four-year letterwinner and a team captain at Hazleton Area High School…Named Player of the Year two times…Helped the Cougars to four Wyoming Valley Conference and District Two Championships.
PERSONAL
Son of Tom and Melia Molinaro…Has two siblings, Miah and Rex.