April 23, 2014
 3 (22-23, 8-9 B1G) | Columbus Ohio • Buckeye Field |   1 (14-28, 5-12 B1G) |
COLUMBUS, Ohio; April 23, 2014 - Penn State softball struggled offensively on Wednesday evening, resulting in a pair of losses to Big Ten foe Ohio State. The Buckeyes (22-23, 8-9 Big Ten) held the Lions (14-28, 5-12 Big Ten) to just one run through both contests to take the games, 3-1 and 3-0, respectively.
Alyssa Sovereign (La Canada, Calif.), Shelby Miller (Sugar Land, Texas), Kristina Brackpool (Valencia, Calif.) and Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) led the PSU offense with two hits each. Brackpool also scored PSU's lone run of the day in game one with her second home run of the year.
Freshman pitcher Marlaina Laubach (Northampton, Pa.) turned in her 11th complete game effort of the season in the early contest, giving up three earned runs and just one walk while Macy Jones (Ashburn, Va.) pitched her fifth complete game in the nightcap, registering three strikeouts and no walks.
Taylor Watkins led the charge for the Buckeyes, going 4-for-6 at the plate with two doubles and a home run. Pitcher Olivia O'Reilly collected the win in game one while Shelby Hursh earned the victory in the late game.
OHIO STATE 3, PENN STATE 1
Despite outhitting the Buckeyes, 8-7, in the opening game, the Nittany Lions were unable to bring in runs, leading to a 3-1 loss to Ohio State. Sovereign and Miller turned in both of their hits and Brackpool recorded her home run to lead PSU's offensive strike.
The Buckeyes took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring Watkins. The junior gave OSU its first hit of the game with a single to second base and Evelyn Carrillo followed with a two-out single to shortstop, advancing Watkins to third. Carrillo then attempted to steal second and got out on a rundown play but not before Watkins crossed the plate for the first Ohio State run.
OSU extended its lead to 2-0 in the third inning, posting one run on one hit. Watkins delivered again for the Buckeyes as she stepped up and blasted a two-out solo shot over the left center wall on the first pitch before Laubach retired the final hitter.
Ohio State gained its final run two innings later, scoring once on a pair of hits. Keelia Nester opened the frame with a single to left field and moved to second on a sac bunt from Caitlin Conrad. Cammi Prantl notched the final OSU hit of the game, punching a single to left field and driving in Nester in the process.
Brackpool gave the Nittany Lions their only run of the game in the final frame, sending a bomb to center field. Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) looked to continue the rally effort, heading to first on an Ohio State error but it was not enough as OSU pitcher Olivia O'Reilly forced a lineout for the final out of the game, giving the Buckeyes a 3-1 victory.
OHIO STATE 3, PENN STATE 0
The Nittany Lions continued to struggle offensively in the nightcap, posting just three hits to OSU's seven, as they fell to the Buckeyes, 3-0.
Another solo home run would put the Buckeyes on the board in the second half of the doubleheader. Carrillo led off for OSU in the second frame and shot her fifth home run of the year over the right field wall to put Ohio State up 1-0.
OSU would add its second run in the fourth and another in the following inning. Watkins churned out her first double game to start the fourth and Prantl followed with another double to right center, bringing in Watkins. Leesa Gresham opened the fifth with OSU's third double of the contest and Jesse Machovina, who entered to pinch run, was driven in on a Conrad sac fly to right field, putting the score at 3-0.
Brackpool tallied the final hit of the night in the top of the seventh, shooting a single to shortstop, but her efforts fell short as the Buckeyes won by a final of 3-0.
The Blue and White return to action this weekend for a three-game series at No. 12 Minnesota. The Lions and the Golden Gophers open the series on Friday at 7 p.m. (ET) and continue with games on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Saturday's game will air live on the Big Ten Network with Wayne Randazzo and Brooke Weisbrod on the call.