April 12, 2015
| 4 | 7 |
| Beard Field | University Park, Pa. | Attn: 495 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score: (HTML) | (PDF) | Play-by-Play |
VIDEO: Post Game (Lehotak)
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Another late inning rally fell short for the Penn State softball team Sunday afternoon, as it scored two in the bottom of the seventh but eventually dropped the series finale with Indiana 7-4.
The Nittany Lions played catch up most of the game, when after falling behind 3-0 in the second, put two up on the board in the bottom of the frame off of a Kristina Brackpool (Valencia, Calif.) RBI double followed by an infield single courtesy of Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) to make it 3-2.
The Hoosiers increased their lead after scoring unearned runs in the third and fourth off reliever Marlaina Laubach (Northampton, Pa.), who entered the contest in the second to spell starter Marissa Diescher (Livingston Manor, N.Y.).
After back-to-back home runs in the top of the seventh by IU, the Lions showed fight, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning. That's when Brackpool came up to the plate and knocked her second run producing hit of the day, this time of the two RBI variety off the third base bag to put Penn State within three. A fly out the very next batter put a halt to the Blue and White rally and secured the series sweep for Indiana.
Even though Penn State came up short on the scoreboard Sunday, it did continue its offensive success of late, extending its double-digit hit streak to a dozen games. PSU has compiled 10 or more hits in the last 12 games dating back to the Robert Morris doubleheader (Mar. 25). Amanda Lehotak's squad racked up 32 hits over the weekend and has averaged a little more than 12 per game during its impressive streak.
Brackpool also had quite an afternoon, driving in three of her team's four runs and going 3-4 with her pair of RBI base knocks and a run scored. Knief and Shelby Miller (Sugar Land, Texas) joined the hit parade with a pair of 2-4 days. Not to be outdone by that offensive trio, Macy Jones (Ashburn, Va.) also extended her hitting streak to a team high 12 games.
Diescher was credited with the loss and moves to 2-5 on the season as the Lions fell to 20-21 and 4-8 in B1G play.
Penn State has now dropped three straight but will look to get back in the win column as it hosts Ohio State in a rescheduled doubleheader, Wednesday, Apr. 15. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with the second game to get underway at approximately 7:30 p.m. at Beard Field.