Penn State baseball (10-5) defeated UMass Lowell (5-11) 3-2, winning its first home game of the 2024 season. The win was also new head coach Mike Gambino’s first-ever win in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Matt Maloney picked up two RBIs on the night off a double and Billy Gerlott homered for the first time this season. Travis Luensmann also impressed in his first start at home striking out five over six innings of work.

How It Happened

Travis Luensmann got the start on the mound to open up the game. After allowing a leadoff walk to Trey Brown, Luensmann struck out the next batter Alex Luccini, and got Carlos Martinez to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Joe Jaconski led off the bottom of the first with a single to center field. After a lineout to center by Bryce Molinaro, J.T. Marr smacked a single the opposite way to left to put two on. Adam Cecere was hit by a pitch to load the bases and that brought up Maloney. Maloney stepped into the box but grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the top of the second, Luensmann got an early flyout to start the inning but let up a four-pitch walk to put a runner on. He then battled back to grab back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning. Penn State went down in order in their half of the second, as did the Red Hawks in their half of the third.

After a flyout from Kyle Hannon, Jaconski worked a walk to get a runner on in the bottom of the third. Molinaro flew out for the second out but the hits kept coming for the Nittany Lions. Marr ripped a single to left on the first pitch and Cecere walked to load the bases for Maloney again. Unlike the first time, Maloney came up big smacking a two-run double down the left-field line that gave Penn State the lead.

UMass Lowell threatened in the fourth with Luccini reaching on an error by Grant Norris and Martinez hitting a bloop single to left for two runners on with no outs. Luensmann picked a huge strikeout for the first out of the inning and a lineout to right for the second. After two pitches thrown to Fritz Genther, Luensmann picked off Luccini at second to end the inning.

Hannon picked up a single in the bottom of the fourth, but Penn State didn”t add to its lead. In the fifth, UMass Lowell went down in order and Cecere was able to get to third after a walk, a steal to second, and a bad throw by the catcher, but was left on base keeping it a 2-0 game.

In the top of the sixth, Roddy Hernandez led the inning off with a walk but was thrown out trying to steal second base. Brown flew out to right field for the second out of the inning, although Luccini stepped up next for his third at-bat of the game and he made it count. Luccini smoked a solo home run to left field to make it a 2-1 game. Luensmann got Martinez, the next batter, to ground out to keep the damage at one.

Leading 2-1, Penn State picked up a huge run in its half of the sixth inning. With two outs, Billy Gerlott stepped up to the plate and smoked a first-pitch solo home run to left-center field to make it 3-1.

Luensmann was pulled after six innings and in relief came Anthony Steele. Steele worked a fantastic 1-2-3 inning picking up a disgusting strikeout against Conor Kelly. Marr picked up his third single of the game in the bottom of the seventh but Penn State did not add on any runs.

In the top of the eighth, Brandon Fish led off the inning with a bunt single, but Steele was able to pick up three straight outs, two being strikeouts, to get out of the inning unscathed. In the Nittany Lions half of the inning, Norris doubled and Marsh walked to put two runners on with one out. Gerlott stepped into the box next but struck out and was then called for interference on a steal, ending the inning.

David Lee came on in relief in the ninth looking to pick up his third save of the year. Luccini led off the inning and smoked another shot this time to right field for his second solo home run of the game. Martinez then worked a four-pitch walk to put the tying run on first.

After a meeting at the mound, Lee picked up a huge strikeout for out No. 1. Kelley was up next and he smoked a long fly ball to dead center, though Tayven Kelley was able to make the grab. Genther was up next and he ripped a single to left to put two on with two outs. Fish stepped into the box and Lee got him to ground out to second to end the game, winning 3-2.

Takeaways

• While it wasn’t the most consistent night of hitting from Penn State, they got the job done. Maloney came through huge with a two-run double early on and Gerlott’s first home run of the season provided some extra insurance.
• Luensmann looked good in his first home start of the year. The senior went a solid six innings, picking up five strikeouts and only allowing two hits. He did walk three and gave up a solo home run, but other than that he was able to work around multiple innings of runners on base.
• Marr continues to hit well. The catcher picked up three singles and nearly hit one out in the win, bringing his total on the season to 28 and his average to .459. His batt continues to be one of the most consistent in the lineup and will be a crucial part moving forward.
• Another pitcher who looked great was Steele. He picked up three strikeouts over two innings of work and kept the two-run lead in check heading into the ninth.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will take on the River Hawks again at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The game can also be streamed one BTN+.