Rutgers Baseball is back home to close out the 2025 season, as they will welcome Penn State to town for a three-game weekend series.
The Scarlet Knights enter this one with a record of 25-24 on the year and 12-12 in Big Ten play, while the Nittany Lions boast a 27-19 record and are 13-14 in conference play.
With that being said, here's everything you need to know about this weekend's series.
JOIN TODAY AND GET 30 DAYS FREE! | THE ROUND TABLE FORUM | RUTGERS FOOTBALL 2025 RECRUITING CLASS | RUTGERS HOOPS RECRUITING
TV/STREAM/WHEN/WHERE....
WHO: Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
STREAM: BTN+
WHERE: Bainton Field (1,500) - Piscataway, New Jersey
WHEN....
GAME ONE: Friday at 1:00pm ET
GAME TWO: Friday - 40 Mins After Game 1
GAME THREE: Saturday at 12:00pm ET
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS....
Penn State will look to improve their conference record this weekend, as they have played well away from Medlar Field with a record of 13-7 on the road. The Nittany Lions are led by head coach Mike Gambino, who enter his second season at helm of the program.
The Nittany Lions pitching staff is led by their ace left-handed pitcher, Ryan DeSanto. The Saint Joseph’s transfer has pitched well in his first season with the team, posting a 7-2 record with a 4.18 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, a .200 opponent batting average, and 62 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched.
On Saturday, they will tab junior left-handed pitcher Logan Olson for the start. The former JUCO product has made eight appearances and starts on the season, posting a 0-3 record with a 9.45 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. Penn State has not yet announced a starting pitcher for the series finale on Sunday.
At the plate, the Nittany Lions have a solid hitting team with lots of power in their lineup. They currently rank fourth in the Big Ten in home runs and the offense as a whole is led by junior outfielder Paxton Kling. The LSU transfer is slashing .339/.444/.622 with 61 hits, 11 doubles, 12 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a team-high 1.066 OPS.
Junior infielder Jesse Jaconski has also been very productive for the team, as the former UNC product slashing .305/.379/.573 with 50 hits, 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and a .952 OPS. Two other Nittany Lions to watch in the series are Ryan Weingartner and Jack Porter.
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS....
The Scarlet Knights are looking continue to build off their recent success, especially against Big Ten opponents. Rutgers is 5-1 in their last six conference games and currently sit at ninth in the Big Ten standings.
True freshman right-handed pitcher Landon Mack will get the start for the Scarlet Knights in the series opener. He has been terrific on the mound, posting a 4-5 record with a 4.04 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, a .247 opponent batting average, and a 2.3 BB/9.
Redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Justin Shadek will be on the mound for Rutgers on Saturday and has pitched much better in his past couple of starts. Shadek has a 3-3 record with a 6.93 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, a .274 opponent batting average, and 46 strikeouts in 49.1 innings pitched. Rutgers has also not yet announced a starting pitcher for the series finale on Sunday.
The Rutgers offense has been on a tear in the past two weekends and Trevor Cohen continues to lead the way for the Scarlet Knights. HE is slashing .368/.437/.483 with a team-high 74 hits, 18 doubles, one home run, 32 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, and a .920 OPS.
Sophomore first baseman Ty Doucette has provided most of the power for the Scarlet Knights. The Canadian-born corner infielder is slashing .335/.413/.517 with 68 hits, seven doubles, a team-high 10 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .930 OPS. Two other Rutgers hitters to watch in the series are Peyton Bonds and Brennan Hyde.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
