The No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions had a trip to the Big Ten title game on the line as they faced the No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday. In a game marked by offensive struggles for the blue and white, the Nittany Lions fell by a score of 6-3.
With how the pitching matchup looked on paper between Nebraska right-handed pitcher Tucker Timmerman and Penn State right-handed pitcher Ben DeMell, this game was primed to be an offensive showdown from the start.
The Cornhuskers kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, as catcher Hogan Helligso drove in two runs on an inning-ending RBI single.
The Nittany Lions' pitching staff was buried by Nebraska's offense, continuing to get on base time after time. Penn State saw five runners in scoring position, allowing 12 hits and leaving eight Cornhusker runners on base in the loss.
Penn State was able to strike back in the top of the third inning as center fielder Paxton Kling brought home second baseman Derek Cease on an RBI double. The Nittany Lions continued to apply pressure in the top of the fourth inning with solo home runs from left fielder Jesse Jaconski and catcher Matt Maloney.
Nebraska didn't waste much time getting back in the game as a double from center fielder Riley Silva scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Right fielder Robby Bolin followed that up with an RBI sacrifice groundout to take the lead.
The dagger for the Nittany Lions' season came in the bottom of the seventh inning, as left fielder Gabe Swansen delivered an opposite-field two-run home run to score the game's final two runs.
The Penn State bats showed up in this elimination game, recording nine hits in 36 at-bats. Kling, Maloney, and Cease all had two hits and led the Nittany Lion offense in the loss.
Left-handed pitcher Anthony Steele tossed 2.2 scoreless frames in what is likely to be his final collegiate game, redeeming himself after a rough performance against No. 5 Washington. Right-handed pitcher Chase Renner also pitched a scoreless inning, representing the final pitcher for the Nittany Lions.
What this means for the Nittany Lions
Penn State has likely seen its season come to an end with the loss. The Nittany Lions have likely not made a convincing enough case for an at-large bid, and therefore, a great 2025 campaign concludes.