April 29, 2018
By Brian McLaughlin, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Tori Dubois came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning 0-4 on the day, but launched her team-high ninth home run of the season over the left field wall to give the Nittany Lions a 4-3 victory over Illinois on Sunday.
Player of the Game- Tori Dubois
The Nittany Lions fell behind early but were able to manufacture three runs to stay in the game. Following a run by Penn State in the bottom of the fourth inning, both teams pitching staffs were outstanding, not allowing a run until Dubois' shot in the ninth.
"I've had probably five or six at-bats off her the whole series so I was just waiting for my pitch," Dubois said. "I was all over the place at the beginning of the day so I just relaxed and looked for what I knew I could hit hard and I got it."
For a team that has to fight through adversity all season, everything finally came together for a big win in the final home game at Beard Field in the 2018 season.
"What an exciting day. I'm so excited for our seniors and our kids for grinding away and playing hard to the end especially in front of all of our fans again," head coach Amanda Lehotak said. "I can't say enough about really the entire for never giving up. Shaffer started us off great and Jess came in and really shut it down then Tori. She didn't have a weekend that she's used to having and she could've gone mental during that situation, but that just shows that poise and mental toughness of her to come through when we needed her."
Pitching Out of Jams
Penn State's pitching was in the zone all day once Illinois had runners reach base, putting out multiple fires. Madison Shaffer walked seven batters in her four innings in the circle and Jessica Cummings walked two. However, between the two pitchers they stranded 15 Illinois runners over nine innings.
"It's not ideal, we would like to limit those walks, but they just really kept their composure and kept attacking," Lehotak said. "I felt like yesterday we were more emotional and frustrated, today they were just like, you know what we're just going to go for it, and that's what they did."
The pitchers' execution was huge with runners on finally making the big pitch when it mattered.
"We work on pressure situations all the time, we do it with base runners and we do it in the bullpen where you have to make a pitch," Cummings added. "We struggled all season making the big pitch so it just came together today where it just came together when we needed it."
Senior Day Success
Every program wants to get a big win on their senior day, and it was a dream come true for the Nittany Lions, delivering a big win for their seniors.
"They are the ones who have changed our program," Lehotak said. "You won't see it on the stat sheet but they've changed our program, and behind the scenes in the dugout, in the locker room they are the ones who have really started us on the right path cultural wise and so know from here on out we can actually kind of go forward."
Dubois, a junior, was thinking of her teammates when she hit the game-winning home run, noting their outstanding performances throughout their careers.
"Jess and Gianna are my best friends so to be able to do that for them was great," Dubois said. "Jess put out an amazing performance coming in and Gianna's been stellar all year so to be able to that for them was just amazing for everybody."
For Cummings, it was a one of her best pitched games all season, and Senior Day only adds to the moment.
"It's the goal every day to do that well, it makes it more special as a memory just to remember today. Really the win is obviously fantastic but just the memories of getting to play and fight with all the 18 other people I've gotten to play and fight with all season. It's just nice to finally get the win I think we've deserved for a long time."
Penn State's final Big Ten series of the year will come next weekend when they travel to Minnesota.