WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Penn State softball team (18-19, 2-5 Big Ten) held the lead going in to the bottom of the seventh inning, but the home team was able to complete the comeback. Purdue (26-13, 3-4 Big Ten) won 8-7 to take the first game of the three-game conference series Friday evening at Bittinger Stadium.
Senior Toni Polk went 3-for-4 on the day, tying her single-game career high with four RBI all from her first career grand slam.
Penn State got on the board first, taking the 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Polk recorded her first hit of the day in the lead-off spot before scoring from Claire Swedberg's first career triple down the right field line. Swedberg then scored on a wild pitch.
Purdue cut the Nittany Lions' lead to one in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run from Jenny Behan before tying the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second with another solo home run, this time from Madison Douglass.
The third inning was scoreless for both teams as the game stayed tied after three.
Sophomore Haley Vallejos started off the top of the fourth with a double to left field. Delaney Elling was then walked before Dani Fey advanced both runners to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Melina Livingston was also walked to load the bases with one out before Polk stepped up to the plate and blasted a grand slam out of the park for the 6-2 Penn State advantage.
The Nittany Lions added another run in the top of the fifth after Vallejos was walked and Christa Wagner pinch ran, stealing second and then advancing home after Fey placed a perfect hit in the gap in shallow right field.
With Madison Shaffer in the circle, the Penn State defense was able to see the minimum amount of batters in innings four through six.
Purdue then scored six unanswered runs in the bottom of the seventh, including the game-winning walk-off run.
Due to predicted thunderstorms in the area Sunday, the remaining two games of the series will now be played as a doubleheader Saturday starting at 3 p.m. at Bittinger Stadium.
