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March 26, 2017
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Penn State softball team was unable to find a run in its final game against the No. 19 Michigan Wolverines, falling 17-0 in five innings Saturday, March 26 at Alumni Field in the Big Ten Conference contest.
The Nittany Lions (12-17, 0-3 B1G) were no-hit against starting pitcher Megan Betsa and had just two base runners on the afternoon after a wild pitch and a walk. Senior Marlaina Laubach (Northampton, Pa.) got the nod in the circle but was chased in the bottom of the first inning, while Jessica Cummings (Owings, Md.), Amanda Ferlisi (Hamilton, N.J.) and Madey Smith (Washington, Pa.) all saw time in the circle against the Wolverines (22-7-1, 3-0-0 B1G).
Michigan wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard as a shallow single on the left field line scored one run before a three-run home run over the left field wall from Tera Blanco extended the Wolverine lead to 4-0 and forced a Penn State pitching change in the first inning. Cummings came on in relief and walked her first batter, who would come around to score on a single up the middle to bring the Maize and Blue lead to 5-0.
After being shut down in the bottom of the second inning, the Wolverines tacked on eight runs on five walks, three hits and two errors in the bottom of the third inning to stretch their advantage to 13-0 over the Nittany Lions. Michigan added four final runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the conference series sweep over the Blue and White.
Up Next:
Penn State softball will travel to in-state foe Pittsburgh Wednesday, March 29 for a single game starting at 5 p.m.