ATLANTA, Ga. – The Penn State softball team (7-10) got back in the win column Friday afternoon with a sweep of Georgia State in doubleheader action at the Bob Heck Softball Complex in the first day of the I-75 Challenge in Atlanta. The Nittany Lions won game one, 3-1, before shutting out the Panthers in game two, 3-0.
Game 1: Penn State 3, Georgia State 1
Penn State snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over Georgia State in game one of the doubleheader, powered by sophomore Ally Kurland's three-run home run in the fifth inning.
The first four innings of the game remained scoreless, with both teams stranding on average one runner in each frame due to the defenses taking care of business.
The Nittany Lions cracked the scoreboard in the fifth after freshman Maggie Finnegan and redshirt junior Kennedy Legg drew back-to-back walks with two outs to bring Kurland to the plate. Kurland blasted one over the right field fence for her first home run of the season.
The Panthers got one back in their next offensive possession to make it 3-1 but four strikeouts in seven at-bats put Georgia State away.
Kurland's three RBI is a season high and her second multi-RBI performance this season.
Sophomore Claire Swedberg also had a great game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three singles up the middle.
Sophomore pitcher Bailey Parshall picked up her third complete-game win in the circle while striking out eight.
Game 2: Penn State 3, Georgia State 0
Penn State was able to bring its momentum into game two of the doubleheader, this time shutting out Georgia State, 3-0, to go undefeated on the day.
Freshman pitcher Vanessa Oatley pitched her second complete-game shutout of the season for the win, throwing less than 100 total pitches.
Finnegan got the Nittany Lions going in her first at-bat of the game, hitting her first career home run to put her team up 1-0 in the opening frame.
Penn State added another run in the top of the second after a lead-off single by freshman Michelle Leone put her on base before she advanced to third via a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Finnegan then came up to the plate again and singled through the left side to score her classmate and make it 2-0 Nittany Lions.
In the top of the fifth, Kurland once again homered with two outs to give Penn State a three-run cushion.
Finnegan recorded her first career multi-hit game and multi-RBI game in the victory.
The Panthers threatened with five total hits but the Penn State defense was solid for its third shutout of the season.
On Deck
Penn State moves on in the I-75 Challenge to face Georgia Tech in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon starting at 1 p.m. at Mewborn Field. The games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
