Penn State baseball (22-10, 10-6 Big Ten) beat USC (21-12, 9-7 Big Ten) 3-1 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Friday afternoon.

Despite going down in the top of the third, Ryan DeSanto carefully navigated the game on the mound for the Nittany Lions. Paxton Kling’s seventh-inning home run sparked a comeback as the Nittany Lions snuck one away from the Trojans in the two programs’ first-ever Big Ten matchup.

How It Happened

Penn State came out of the first inning unscathed despite a single from USC third baseman Ethan Hedges with junior Ryan DeSanto on the mound.

USC pitcher Caden Hunter returned the favor by allowing no hits in the bottom of the first.

USC’s Adrian Lopez hit one deep to center field, but Paxton Kling reeled it in near the warning track. Cohl Mercado wrapped up the inning by securing another flyout.

Cole Wagner drew a walk in the bottom of the second to represent Penn State’s first baserunner of the day. Jesse Jaconski poked a ball the shallow left field, advancing Wagner to second base with Joe Jaconski due up.

Wagner attempted to steal third but was called out after a USC challenge. Jesse Jaconski then tried stealing second but was called out on the field to close out the second inning.

USC immediately got two runners on base after an infield hit and a hit by pitch. Brayden Dowd bunted down the third base line to load the bases for the Trojans with no outs in the top of the third.

DeSanto walked Hedges with three straight balls to hand USC the 1-0 lead. He struck out Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek and forced Maximo Martinez into a popout for two quick outs. Bryce Molinaro then scooped up a first-bitch grounder to left field from Lopez as DeSanto escaped the jam with only one run given up.

Both teams exchanged scoreless innings in the fourth to keep it a 1-0 ballgame.

Jesse Jaconski hit a two-out hit to center field in the bottom of the fifth for Penn State’s first baserunner since the third. Joe Jaconski flew out to center field to send it into the sixth inning.

Martin-Grudzielanek flew one out to shallow right field as Joe Jaconski tracked back and collided with Mercado. Mercado somehow reeled the ball in with a sliding catch despite the collision, but Joe Jaconski took some time to get checked before returning to play.

Mercado iced the inning with another acrobatic catch near the warning track. Penn State remained down 1-0 with the bottom of the sixth inning due up.

USC’s Abbrie Covarrubias roped a ball to right field, which Mercado missed as it bounced off the wall. Covarrubias reached third despite a close rally from the outfield, but DeSanto struck out Richard Tejeda to send it into the stretch.

Kling opened the floodgates for the Nittany Lions with a deep homer to right field, landing in the outfield pavilion seats to tie the game up at one. Molinaro almost shot one out to left field, but it just ran out of gas as a Trojan secured it.

Kling Kong does it again!!! His 12th homer of the year ties this game!

B7 | PSU 1, USC 1#WeAre pic.twitter.com/Eof96lxQUn

— Penn State Baseball (@PennStateBASE) April 11, 2025

Jesse Jaconski drew a walk in the bottom of the eighth with the game still knotted at one and no outs. Joe Jaconski sacrifice bunted as Jesse Jaconski moved up to second base.

USC pitcher Brodie Purcell walked Nate Voss to put Penn State on first and second. Purcell tried to pick off Jesse Jaconski’s lead at second, but the ball found its way up center field to advance the runners to second and third with Mercado up in the bottom of the eighth with one out.

Penn State checked in redshirt freshman Mike Lucarelli as a pinch runner for Jesse Jaconski. Mercado hit a ball down the first base line, which the first baseman bobbled out of his glove as Lucarelli scored to put Penn State up 2-1.

Ryan Weingartner drew a walk to load the bases as Kling stepped into the batter’s box. He skied one to right center field, scoring pinch runner Joey DeMucci for the insurance run.

Molinaro then drew a walk to load the bases for Jack Porter. He flew out to send it the ninth.

Dimond Loosli closed the game out for Penn State as the Nittany Lions wrapped up the win.

Takeaways

• DeSanto tossed a gem for the Nittany Lions against the Trojans. He went seven full innings while only giving up four hits and one run. He mitigated the damage of the third inning jam and reached 98 pitches on the day.
• Kling once again showed up big for Penn State late in the game. He hit his 12th home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning, just when the Nittany Lions needed it to stay in the game.
• While Penn State’s base running bit the Nittany Lions early in the game, Jesse Jaconski’s lead and stealing threat in the eighth inning sparked Penn State’s comeback and eventual win.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions continue their series against the Trojans at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Folks can follow along on BTN+.