MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Penn State softball team (5-11), led at the plate by Ally Kurland and on the mound by Bailey Parshall, powered past Detroit Mercy (7-9), 3-1, Saturday afternoon in the Madeira Beach Invitational at Madeira Beach ROC Park Softball Fields.
Kurland hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth, her team-leading third home run of the season and one of the Nittany Lions' eight hits on the day compared to the Titans' three.
Parshall struck out 15 of 27 batters faced, tying a program-high for most strikeouts in a single game, last done by Lisa Akamine against Syracuse on April 22, 2010. The 15 strikeouts also ties for eighth in the nation and stands alone for second in the Big Ten for strikeouts in a single game this season.
Parshall now has two complete game wins on the season and has thrown 10-plus strikeouts in three games this season.
Penn State got things started early at plate, as Toni Polk doubled to right center as the lead-off batter in the opening frame. Claire Swedberg placed a perfect bunt in the second position that Polk was able to score off of for the early 1-0 Penn State lead.
Haley Vallejos and Melina Livingston both had singles in the top of the second and third innings, respectively, before getting stranded.
In the top of the fourth, senior Tori Dubois doubled to right field as the lead-off batter. Two batters later, Kurland stepped up to the plate and blasted a home run to center field on the first pitch for the 3-0 Penn State advantage.
Parshall and the defense kept the Titans hitless and off the board through the first five innings. Detroit Mercy scored one run on three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Nittany Lions' lead to two with an inning remaining.
The freshman lefty struck out two-of-three Titans batters in the final frame for Penn State's second win of the tournament.
The Nittany Lions will play two final games in the Madeira Beach Invitational on Sunday, facing Florida A&M at 11:30 a.m. and Central Michigan at 2 p.m. on Field 1.