LINCOLN, Neb. – The Penn State softball team (0-15, 0-15 Big Ten) was topped in both games of the doubleheader by the Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-6, 9-6 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.
Game 1: Nebraska 8, Penn State 2
Sophomore Maggie Finnegan had a multi-hit game in the first game for the Nittany Lions, but it wasn't enough to take down Nebraska.
Finnegan doubled to lead off the game and then advanced to third on a drawn walk by sophomore Michelle Leone and a fielder's choice by junior Chelsea Bisi. She then tried to steal home but was tagged out to keep Penn State off the board as the Nittany Lions stranded two in the opening frame.
The defense did a good job to strand Nebraska runners in the first two innings before the Cornhuskers scored four runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the third to take the lead.
Nebraska added three runs on three hits in the fourth.
Penn State then took some of that momentum away as it scored two runs on two hits in the top of the fifth.
Redshirt senior Kennedy Legg drew a walk as the lead off and then the next two batters both had fielder's choices to keep one runner on for the Nittany Lions.
Freshman Mel Coombs and Finnegan then hit back-to-back doubles to bring in runs as Penn State cut the deficit to 7-2.
The Huskers added their eighth run in the bottom of the sixth for the eventual 8-2 winning score.
Game 2: Nebraska 10, Penn State 2 (5 innings)
Game two, unfortunately, went much like game one as Penn State struggled to find a rhythm offensively.
Nebraska took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on one hit and an error.
The Penn State defense made quick work of the Cornhuskers in the next two frames to stay within two runs.
Nebraska then added eight runs on nine hits in the fourth to put the game mostly out of reach.
The Nittany Lions did not give up, however, scoring two runs on one hit and an error in the top of the fifth, but it would not be enough to avoid the run rule.
Finnegan had the lone hit for her third of the day.
ON DECK
The four-game series concludes in Lincoln on Sunday at noon ET/11 a.m. CT.
