Dominant Defense Drives Softball to Doubleheader Sweep of Rutgers

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Riding a pair of complete-game shutouts from fifth-year pitchers Kylee Lingenfelter and Bailey Parshall, in addition to a pair of error-free contests by the defense, Penn State Softball completed a doubleheader sweep of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Friday night on Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park.
 
Following two of their most impressive defensive outings of the season, the Blue & White climb to 22-13 overall and now maintain a 4-9 record in Big Ten Conference play. PSU snagged a series victory against a B1G challenger for the first time this season and will look to carry its momentum into Sunday's finale. Penn State extended its lead over the Scarlet Knights in the all-time series following the doubleheader win, rising to 37-28 against Rutgers since the first meeting in 1980. In defeat, the Scarlet Knights dropped to 30-16 overall with a 7-6 ledger in the league.
 
In addition to lights-out defense, the Nittany Lion bats mustered a combined 16 hits across both games highlighted by nine knocks in the series opener. Senior leftfielder Maggie Finnegan had an astonishing performance in the box, going 5-for-6 across both games with a quartet of singles and a double. Finnegan tallied one run on Friday night and published the most extensive at-bat of the evening with a 12-pitch single in the nightcap. 
 
Senior catcher Cassie Lindmark went 3-for-4 in the opener with a trio of singles, while junior third baseman Emily Maddock logged what proved to be the game-winning RBI single that finalized PSU's 1-0 win in the first game of the day. Finally, sophomore designated player Maddie Gordon put a bow on the spectacular night for Penn State's offense, belting the first home run of her collegiate career while driving home three runs in the process to take the second game of the series by a 3-0 margin.
 
In the circle, PSU returned to its dominant ways with a pair of complete-game shutouts from Lingenfelter and Parshall. The Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, native Lingenfelter went the distance and tossed exactly 100 pitches in the first game of Friday's twin-bill, allowing just three hits from the Scarlet Knight offense. Lingenfelter published her sixth complete game of 2023 and recorded her second shutout of the year in the process, all the while yielding one walk against three strikeouts.
 
Parshall's legend in Blue & White grew once again on Friday, as the redshirt senior southpaw tossed the 55th complete game of her storied career, moving her into a three-way tie for second place all-time at Penn State in the category alongside program legends Kelly McCann and Jaci Kalp. Parshall also moved into a tie for the most career shutouts in Nittany Lion history with 2011 graduate Jackie Hill, booking her 20th. The Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, native Parshall secured her 14th winning decision of 2023 on 88 total pitches, scattering four hits while fanning five batters and allowing a lone walk across her seven innings in the circle.
 
The opening half of Friday's doubleheader featured an extensive pitcher's duel for the first five-and-a-half innings, as neither squad could book the opening run against Lingenfelter or Scarlet Knight pitcher Morgan Smith. The dam broke for Penn State in the bottom of the sixth, with the Nittany Lions logging the only run of the game on a two-out RBI single from Maddock. After a pair of Nittany Lions failed to reach base to start the inning, senior centerfielder Lilia Crouthamel drew a walk to get things going. Lindmark bumped Crouthamel over to second with a single through the left side, her third single of the evening. With runners on first and second and two out, Maddock stepped up to the plate and delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit that brought Crouthamel around. PSU's defense held on for the remainder of the game to close the book on the 1-0 win.
 
Penn State needed only one inning in the box to figure out Rutgers' game-two starter, Jaden Vickers. In the bottom of the second, senior first baseman Lexie Black secured a leadoff walk. After the next batter popped up for the first out of the inning, Finnegan stepped into the box looking to improve upon her impressive performance from game one. In the most disciplined at-bat of the night, Finnegan saw a total of 12 pitches before sneaking a crucial single up the middle to put a pair of Nittany Lions on the basepath. After taking the first pitch of her at-bat for a ball, Gordon cranked the first home run of her collegiate career to left center, putting the only three runs of the night on the board for Penn State. PSU's defense handled its business the rest of the way, finalizing the Nittany Lions' 3-0 victory while locking up the weekend series.
 
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS (GAME ONE)
Cassie Lindmark | 3-for-4, 3H
Emily Maddock | 2-for-3, 2H, RBI, HBP
Maggie Finnegan | 2-for-3, 2B
Kylee Lingenfelter | 7.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K, 100 TP
 
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS (GAME TWO)
Maggie Finnegan | 3-for-3, 3H, 1R
Maddie Gordon | 1-for-3, HR, 3RBI, 1R
Lexie Black | 1-for-3, 2B, 1R
Bailey Parshall | 7.0 IP, 4H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 5K, 88 TP
 
KEY INNINGS (GAME ONE)
B6 | After a pair of Nittany Lions failed to reach base to start the inning, Lilia Crouthamel drew a walk. Cassie Lindmark bumped Crouthamel over to second with a single through the left side, her third single of the evening. With two outs and runners on first and second, Emily Maddock stepped up to the plate and delivered what proved to be the game-winning RBI single to bring Crouthamel around. PSU 1, RUT 0.
 
KEY INNINGS (GAME TWO)
B2 | Lexie Black led off the bottom of the second inning with a walk. After Melody Coombs popped up for the first out of the inning, Maggie Finnegan stepped into the box looking to improve upon her impressive performance in game one. In the most disciplined at-bat of the night, Finnegan saw a total of 12 pitches before sneaking a crucial single up the middle to put a pair of Nittany Lions on the basepath. After taking the first pitch of her at-bat for a ball, Maddie Gordon cranked the first home run of her collegiate career to left center, putting the only three runs of the night on the board for Penn State. PSU 3, RUT 0.
 
UP NEXT
Penn State softball takes a one-day hiatus from action due to forecasted rain throughout central Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions resume their three-game series with the weekend finale on Sunday, April 16, on Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. (ET) with streaming available worldwide via B1G+.
 
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