Penn State went into its game against Illinois on Friday coming off a 9-0 shutout loss against Bucknell on Wednesday. The last time the Nittany Lions saw the Fighting Illini was the 2024 season, where Penn State only won one of their four meetups.
Ultimately, Penn State got back into the win column with a 9-8 victory over the Fighting Illini.
“The thing I saw better from Wednesday to today was about effort,” coach Mike Gambino said.
Mason Horwat started on the mound for the blue and white. Throughout the season so far, Penn State has struggled with pitching, switching their pitcher as many as seven times just last game against Bucknell.
Horwat opened up play by walking senior outfielder Nick Groves, but quickly followed that up with a strikeout.
After another walk and a base hit, bases were loaded with Collin Jennings at bat. Jennings hit a fly to center field and was caught out, but not before Illinois could bring a run in.
Shortly after, Kyle Schupmann hit a single between the blue and white’s 5-6 hole, and the Fighting Illini were quickly up 2-0 by the end of the first inning.
Mitch Dye opened up pitching for Illinois, allowing Cohl Mercado to get a base hit to right field. While batters got on base for Penn State, two base-hit outs paired with a strikeout allowed them no time to score before the first inning was concluded.
At the top of the second, after two walks and one hit, the bases were loaded. After Horvath’s fifth walk and a base hit from AJ Putty, the Fighting Illini scored twice, advancing the score to 4–0.
Penn State called a timeout as Collin Jennings earned a two-run single after a base hit down the first base path to the outfield. As Illinois continued its six-run stretch, Mason Butash was called to take over the mound.
Butash last pitched against Bucknell on Wednesday, where he struck out four batters. The junior was able to replicate that for the Nittany Lions’ third out to close the inning, striking out Schupmann looking.
At the bottom of the second, Jayden Davis got a base hit to left field, getting on base for the blue and white.
Despite loading the bases, Illinois was able to end the inning on a double play, with Preston Yaucher grounding out.
Butash returned to the mound for the third inning, striking out Daniel Contreras for the first out. The next two outs quickly followed and Penn State escaped the third inning holding the Fighting Illini scoreless despite a strong opening two innings.
These quick three outs are reproduced on Illinois’ end, and the score remains at 6-0 going into the fourth inning.
Scoring finally opened up for Penn State after it shut out Illinois at the top of the fourth. Bryce Molinaro opened up the hitting, hitting the center-field wall and getting to second base
Jayden Davis was quick to follow up this offensive momentum, hitting to right field and sending Molinaro home.
Avery Smith also added to the RBI column, grounding out, but sending Davis home to score the Nittany Lions’ second run, and cutting the Illinois lead to a four-run margin.
On the contrary, Illinois answered back with a big hit of its own. Jennings continued with a hot bat, hitting a home run over the right field fence to add to the Fighting Illini’s six runs. This hit gave Jennings his fourth RBI of the day and made him two for two while at bat.
The blue and white were able to hold Illinois to one run, concluding the top of the fifth after Brayden Mazzacano was picked off by Butash to first base.
A lengthy review called Michael Anderson’s hit to left field a foul ball. He battled two strikes and eventually flew out to center field. This, however, allowed Yaucher to run home from third, closing the lead to 7-3.
Spencer Barnett continued the hitting streak, sliding a single past Illinois’ first baseman. This sent Porter to second and Mercado home to score, narrowing Illinois’ lead to three. Molinaro followed with a single to right field, loading the bases for Penn State with Davis up to hit, all with one out.
Davis delivered, sending Porter home to advance their run total to five. Smith then earned another RBI and put Penn State within one, after he was flied out to left field.
Penn State officially tied the score when Yaucher singled to first after an error at shortstop. This sent Molinaro home to score, and kept bases loaded for Jesse Jaconski’s hit, who was then grounded out to end the inning.
After two singles from Illinois to the left side, Jack Zebig hit again to left field, this time, sending Groves home to break the scoring standstill.
With this, junior Kyle Emmons was sent in to finish the inning on the mound. Emmons was able to quickly end the inning on a double play, grounding out from Yaucher to Davis to Barnett at first.
“We’ve spent a lot of time and work on (Davis’) feet and his hands in that double play to quicken up and quicken his arm swing,” Gaminbo said. “It turned into an elite double play.”
Penn State saw a quiet hitting inning until Davis singled to center field. This sent Anderson home to tie up the score at eight, with two outs against the blue and white.
Illinois opted to switch Kyle Remmington in for Sam Reed to finish the inning. Remington was able to end the inning on his first batter. This sent Avery Smith back to the dugout after he struck out looking.
Both teams held each other scoreless in the seventh inning.
At the top of the eighth, Emmons was able to get one strikeout. Michael Farina for Illinois was fouled out and Groves was caught stealing to wrap up the inning.
Anderson opened up hitting for Penn State with a homerun off the first pitch to put Penn State in the lead for the first time all game. He was the only Nittany Lion to get on base that inning, and Penn State went into the ninth inning with a small one-run cushion.
“I mean, the worst thing to be when Big Mike is around is a baseball,” Gambino said.
At the top of the ninth, Penn State was able to get the first two outs quickly, with Emmons striking out Zebig and Putty being grounded out to shortstop.
The last out and the sealing of Penn State’s win came solely from Emmons, striking Schupmann.
Up Next
Penn State will continue its series against Illinois at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
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