Recapping the Penn State baseball fall ball season

The Nittany Lions took the field five times for fall scrimmages ahead of the upcoming 2025 baseball season, ending with a 4-1 record under the wing of second-year head coach Mike Gambino.

The team came into the fall with 27 new players, including 15 transfers and 12 freshmen, according to GoPSUSports.com.

After fall ball concluded on Saturday, it’s time to reflect on how the Nittany Lions performed in these scrimmages, with highs and lows, as well as awards.

Here are the biggest recap points:

Fall high: Team cohesiveness is very present

In the second game between Penn State and Bucknell on Saturday, Oct. 19, the Nittany Lions had three innings where they scored multiple runs.

This effect was felt mainly in the bottom of the first inning of the 8-1 win when four straight Penn State batters reached base.

Paxton Kling hit a triple, then Ryan Weingartner walked, Joe Jaconski hit a double and Bryce Molinaro hit a single. A passed ball helped contribute to the three-run effort.

On the pitching side, many bullpen pitchers united to strike out many batters, a concept that used to be few and far between in Happy Valley.

In the September scrimmage against Saint Bonaventure, the pitching staff struck out 23 batters in 14 innings.

In the October scrimmage against Bucknell, the pitchers threw out 19 hitters in 15 innings.

The momentum shifts for the position players and the strikeout numbers for the Nittany Lions shows hope in State College.

Fall low: Starting rotation is still in question

The Nittany Lions trotted out 16 pitchers over the course of 29 innings in the fall season, however the starting rotation was not addressed.

Three pitchers started the five games, including RHP Mason Horwat (2), LHP Logan Olson (2), and RHP Mason Butash (1).

Eight pitchers did not make a single appearance, including LHP Ryan DeSanto (St. Joseph’s) and RHP Frankie Sanchez. This duo is in contention for a rotation spot in the spring.

Horwat and Olson both made good impressions, yet there is still much left to figure out as the Nittany Lions work to replace right-handers Travis Luensmann and Jaden Henline after they graduated this past spring.

Most valuable pitcher: RHP Dimond Loosli

Having welcomed 13 pitchers from recruiting and the transfer portal, the best pitcher of the fall season made his mark after two years of JUCO ball.

The junior right-hander had the most strikeouts without a walk or hit allowed with three in two overall innings of work.

He also made quick work of the batters he faced, throwing only 18 pitchers and facing a minimum of six hitters.

The JUCO transfer from Orange Coast College had one season with zero starts and one season with 11 out of 15 appearances.

In the upcoming winter practices, he could throw his hat into the ring of the starting rotation battle, as he could be a beneficial hybrid pitcher.

Most valuable position player: 1B/DH Cole Wagner

Wagner missed the 2024 season after returning from retirement, but the senior transfer from Georgia did not disappoint in the fall.

In five games, he went 4-for-9 with a double off of the warning track serving as his only extra-base hit.

He was one of three players to play all five games, joining the list with fellow newcomers Jesse Jaconski (infielder/outfielder, JUCO transfer) and Nate Voss (catcher, JUCO transfer).

His fall splits (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) were .444/.556/.583, and he led Penn State qualified batters (two plate appearances per game and 75% of games played) in all three of those categories, according to a tabulation of all five box scores.

Baseball-Reference.com reports that Cole Wagner had 12 home runs in 89 career games with Georgia in 2022 and 2023. The hope is that those numbers will continue in Happy Valley.

Bryan Portney is a first-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him, email bep5295@psu.edu.