CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Penn State softball fought and showed unquestionable resilience, but the second-seeded Indiana Hoosiers walked the Nittany Lions off in a 5-4 finish on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament at Eichelberger Field.
The Blue & White drop to 31-16 following the loss to the surging Hoosiers and complete their stay in Champaign with a 1-1 record after defeating Michigan on Wednesday afternoon. PSU and Indiana battled in the longest Big Ten Tournament game since the 2016 championship matchup between Minnesota and Michigan on the Penn State University campus. The Golden Gophers defeated the Wolverines in that contest by a 4-3 score in 10 innings of play.
Despite the team's quarterfinal exit, the Nittany Lions saw continued success on the league's biggest stage in 2023, winning a tournament game in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2016 and 2017 squads did so. PSU also recorded consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in five seasons, reaching back-to-back Big Ten Tournaments for the first time since the Nittany Lions appeared in five-straight from 2013 to 2017. With their victory on Thursday, the Hoosiers improve to 41-15 overall and advance to the semifinals of the tournament against third-seeded Minnesota.
PSU put together a dominant offensive outing against Indiana, matching the Nittany Lion season high of 12 hits previously set against Kent State on Feb. 24. The Nittany Lions out-hit the Hoosiers by a 12-5 margin and secured double-digits in the hit column for the 10th time in the 2023 campaign. Fifth-year centerfielder Lilia Crouthamel led the way with an unprecedented two-triple performance that culminated in a 2-for-3 line overall. Crouthamel became the first player in Big Ten Tournament history to hit two triples in a single game and just the second to hit two triples across an entire tournament.
Elsewhere in the box score, sophomore designated player Maddie Gordon had a spectacular outing for the Nittany Lions, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Senior shortstop Kaitlyn Morrison continued her productive streak of postseason performances with a 2-for-5 line while senior catcher Cassie Lindmark knocked an RBI single in the top of the sixth to tie the game for the second time. Finally, first baseman Lexie Black crushed one of the most impressive homers of her senior season, blasting a two-run shot in the top of the eighth that gave the Blue & White a two-run lead.
On the defensive side of things, Penn State managed to hold the reigning Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year in Hoosier second baseman Taryn Kern to an 0-for-4 outing with a pair of strikeouts, making PSU the only team to accomplish that feat this season. The Nittany Lions rolled with their powerful one-two punch of fifth-year pitchers Bailey Parshall and Kylee Lingenfelter. Parshall booked the start and went 5.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs on a pair of Hoosier solo shots. Lingenfelter entered in the relief and was saddled with the loss after going 3.0 innings.
Indiana started the scoring off in the bottom of the second inning, as Brianna Copeland launched a solo home run to deep left field. It took PSU just two innings to notch a response, as Gordon opened the top of the fifth inning with a single down the third-base line and advanced to second after an excellently played sacrifice bunt by junior right fielder Liana Jones. Gordon's journey continued after Indiana tossed a wild pitch during Crouthamel's at-bat. Crouthamel proceeded to draw a walk to put runners on the corners, and after Amanda Mack pinch hit for junior second baseman Melody Coombs, she was able to blast a sac fly to right field that brought Gordon home to tie the game.
Indiana replied moments later in the top of the sixth, as Avery Parker put the Hoosiers out in front with yet another solo homer, launching the ball to left field. The next half-inning saw the drama continue, as with two outs on the board, Black drew a crucial five-pitch walk and Lydia Spalding came in to pinch run for her at first. In the following at-bat, Cassie Lindmark sent a high-arching single to center field that prompted a collision between the Hoosier second baseman and centerfielder. The commotion allowed Spalding to advance all the way home to tie the game at two runs apiece.
Penn State utilized its second two-out rally of the game in the top of the eighth, as Kaitlyn Morrison started things off with a single up the middle. Black stepped into the batter's box and absolutely cranked a two-run homer over the wall in centerfield, giving Penn State its first lead of the contest at 4-2. Indiana then went on to add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, but an unbelievable web gem from Crouthamel in centerfield prolonged the game for another inning. In the bottom of the ninth, Sarah Stone hit a walk-off home run to centerfield, finalizing Indiana's 5-4 victory.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS
Maddie Gordon | 3-for-4, 2 2B, R
Lilia Crouthamel | 2-for-3, 2 3B
Lexie Black | 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
Bailey Parshall | 5.0 IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 2K
KEY INNINGS
B2 | Brianna Copeland launched a solo home run to deep left field to open the scoring. IU 1, PSU 0
T5 | Maddie Gordon opened the inning with a single down the third-base line and advanced to second after an excellently played sacrifice bunt by Liana Jones. Gordon's journey continued after Indiana tossed a wild pitch during Lilia Crouthamel's at-bat. Crouthamel drew a walk to put runners on the corners, and after Amanda Mack pinch hit for Melody Coombs, she was able to blast a sac fly to right field that brought Gordon home. PSU 1, IU 1
B5 | Avery Parker put the Hoosiers out in front with yet another solo homer, launching the ball to left field. IU 2, PSU 1
T6 | With two outs on the board, Lexie Black drew a crucial five-pitch walk and Lydia Spalding came in to pinch run for her at first. In the following at-bat, Cassie Lindmark sent a high-arching single to center field that prompted a collision between the Hoosier second baseman and centerfielder. The commotion allowed Spalding to advance all the way home. PSU 2, IU 2
T8 | Penn State utilized its second two-out rally of the game in the top of the eighth, as Kaitlyn Morrison started things off with a single up the middle. Black stepped into the batter's box and absolutely cranked a two-run homer over the wall in centerfield, giving Penn State its first lead of the contest. PSU 4, IU 2
B8 | Cassidy Kettleman attempted a bunt for a hit that was mishandled by the PSU pitcher, leaving her on first base following the error. Kinsey Mitchell singled to left, advancing Kettleman to second in the process. Brooke Benson executed a sac bunt to put a pair of Hoosiers on the left side of the infield, and Cora Bassett hit a bases-clearing double to tie the game. PSU 4, IU 4
B9 | Sarah Stone hit a walk-off home run to centerfield, finalizing Indiana's 5-4 victory. IU 5, PSU 4
UP NEXT
Penn State softball awaits the 2023 NCAA Tournament Selection show. All 64 selections to the NCAA Tournament regional field will be announced on Sunday, May 14 at 7 p.m. (ET). The broadcast is slated for a national television audience on ESPN2.
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