The Penn State baseball team overcame a six-run deficit to secure a 9-8 victory over Illinois on March 27 in the series opener at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Michael Anderson’s home run in the eighth inning gave the Nittany Lions their first lead of the game.
This comeback marks Penn State’s first win after trailing by six or more runs into the fourth inning since an 11-10 win against Rutgers on May 12, 2024. The result improves Penn State’s record to 8-16 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play, while Illinois falls to an even split at 12-12 for the season and holds a conference record of 4-6.
Mason Horwat started for Penn State, allowing six runs over one and two-thirds innings. Mason Butash contributed with three and one-third innings pitched, giving up one run and striking out three batters. Kyle Emmons earned the win by pitching three and two-thirds shutout innings with four strikeouts.
Offensively, Anderson recorded two hits—including his decisive solo homer—two runs scored, and two runs batted in. Jayden Davis led with three hits (including a double) and drove in three runs. Bryce Molinaro added two hits with a double and scored twice, while Avery Smith contributed two RBIs.
For Illinois, Collin Jennings had three hits including a solo home run and drove in four runs. Jack Zebig brought home two runners, while Nick Groves crossed the plate three times for the Illini.
The teams continue their series on Saturday at 2 p.m., featuring a White Out event where fans are encouraged to wear white attire along with postgame autographs. Sunday’s game will begin at 11 a.m., followed by an opportunity for kids to run the bases after play concludes.
