HAMPTON, Va.- Penn State Softball (10-3) closed the Pirate-Spartan Classic with a 3-0 record after beating Hampton, 8-1, on Sunday.
Bailey Parshall dominated in the circle for the Nittany Lions, pitching a complete game, adding seven strikeouts, one hit and allowing one batter a free pass.
The bats were hot all weekend for the Nittany Lions and that continued on Sunday. Lydia Coleman had a bases clearing triple while Melody Coombs and Kaitlyn Morrison had three hits each.
Penn State started out the game on top when Melody Coombs led off with a single to left field. Coleman reached base when the Pirates third baseman was unable to make a play on a ground ball and Coombs advanced to third. Maggie Finnegan popped out to the shortstop in the next at bat, but Coleman sacrificed herself drawing the throw to first and allowing Coombs to sneak home and give the Nittany Lions an early advantage.
Parshall was able to hold Hampton at bay until the fourth inning when leadoff batter Cam Thompson bunted to get on first and then stole second base. With two outs in the inning, Julia Sinnett hit an in-between ball to first that was tough to handle, allowing Sinnett to round third base to make it a 1-1 ball game.
In the fifth, with the bases loaded, Coleman stepped up to the plate and ripped a ball passed the center fielder for a bases clearing triple.
Kathryn Rex extended the Nittany Lions lead with a home run to the deepest part of the yard in the sixth inning, brining home Black who doubled and gave the Nittany Lions a five-run advantage, 6-1.
The Nittany Lions weren't done however. In the top of the seventh, Coombs got on second base and scored when the Pirates shortstop let a ground ball get by her. Kaitlyn Morrison stayed hot on the weekend driving in Lexie Black who was on second for the final run of the game as the Nittany Lions emerged victorious, 8-1.
Next Up
Penn State travels to Tampa, Fla. for a five-game round robin tournament with Florida Gulf Coast (twice), USF, Marist and St. Francis. First pitch against Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday is at 4 p.m.
--Nittany Lions—