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May 6, 2018
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Penn State softball team concluded the 2018 campaign with an 8-0 six inning loss to Minnesota in its final Big Ten Conference contest at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium Sunday May 6.
Senior pitcher Jessica Cummings (Owings, Md.) ended her career throwing the entire game with two strikeouts, while senior Gianna Arrizurieta (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) had one assist at short stop and added one of Penn State's two hits on the day.
The Nittany Lions had saw one other hit on the afternoon from Toni Polk (Niagara Falls, N.Y.), who singled up the middle.
Minnesota had a two-out rally with back-to-back singles up the middle to go up 3-0 over the Nittany Lions in the bottom of the first inning before a home run over the left field wall extended their lead to 5-0.
Penn State put its first runner in scoring position in the top of the third inning when Tori Dubois (Mt. Vernon, N.H.) reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second on a Paige Johnson (Clarksville, Tenn.) walk. The Blue and White were unable to bring in a run, trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third.
The Golden Gophers threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning, loading the bases with two outs before Polk caught a ball at the fence to end the inning for the Penn State defense.
The Nittany Lions tallied a three up, three down inning in the field and put a runner 60-feet from home with two outs on the board in the top of the sixth inning. The Minnesota defense used a ground out to end the inning before Penn State could push a run across the plate.
Minnesota capitalized on a play that had two Penn State errors to extend its lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs. The Golden Gophers had a two-run home run with two outs to take the 8-0 victory after six innings of play.
Today's contest marked the conclusion of the 2018 season for the Nittany Lions. Head coach Amanda Lehotak tallied her 100th win at Penn State in the 2018 campaign, while Arrizurieta, Cumming and Ashton Mensinger (Nescopeck, Pa.) wrapped up their careers donning the Blue and White.