Penn State returned to Charles Schwab Field after a day off to face Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. It was a rematch of the 2024 Big Ten Championship, where the Cornhuskers got the best of the Nittany Lions in a low-scoring, 2-1 affair.
Nebraska continued to have Penn State’s number in the tournament with a 6-3 victory over the Nittany Lions to advance to the Big Ten championship.
After a scoreless first inning, the Cornhuskers struck first in the bottom of the second inning. The bottom of the lineup got to the Penn State opener, Ben DeMell, as catcher Hogan Helligso ripped a single through the infield, scoring two runners. However, designated hitter Devin Nunez got caught in a rundown and was tagged out to end the inning.
The Nittany Lions responded in the top of the third inning. Second baseman Derek Cease got things started with a bloop single, allowing center fielder Paxton Kling to launch an RBI double off the left-center field wall.
Kling’s hit scored Cease from second and cut the deficit in half, 2-1.
Nebraska threatened again in the third inning. Facing reliever Matthew VanOstenbridge, the Cornhuskers loaded the bases with two outs, but the freshman forced a pop-up in foul territory to escape the inning without allowing a run.
Another response from the Nittany Lions occurred at the beginning of the fourth inning. Left fielder Jesse Jaconski launched his 12th home run of the season to left field, tying the game at 2-2.
Catcher Matt Maloney followed Jesse Jaconski’s homer with a solo home run just two batters later. Maloney’s fourth homer of the season gave Penn State a 3-2 lead in the fourth frame.
Nebraska answered right back in the bottom of the fourth. Some miscommunication in right center field allowed a runner to score as the ball trickled off Kling’s glove.
Right fielder Robby Bolin grounded out, but the runner scored on the play, allowing Nebraska to retake the lead, 4-3.
The bats quieted down through the next two innings. Nebraska reliever Drew Christo and Penn State reliever Anthony Steele limited base runners across 2.2 innings of work each.
The Nittany Lions threatened in the top of the seventh inning. A Cease hit and a Kling walk set up the middle of the order with an opportunity to tie the game or take the lead. However, Nebraska reliever Luke Broderick shut down any threat, forcing a groundout and a strikeout to escape the inning.
With Broderick shutting down Penn State’s threat, the Cornhuskers went back to work on offense. Left fielder Gabe Swansen launched a two-run home run to right field, extending Nebraska’s lead to 6-3 in the seventh inning.
The Nittany Lions potentially had just six outs left in their season with shortstop Ryan Weingartner leading off the eighth inning. The Big Ten’s leader in stolen bases walked to open the inning.
Maloney ripped a single through the right side of the infield, putting two runners on base with nobody out, but Broderick shut the door for the second consecutive inning with three straight outs to escape the jam.
After a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning, the blue and white had just three outs left. Penn State got two runners on with a base hit from Kling and a walk to Jesse Jaconski.
Weingartner represented the tying run and sent a deep fly ball to right field, however, the wind couldn’t carry it enough, and it fell just short on the warning track, ending the game and Penn State’s season in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
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