UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team (6-32, 6-32 Big Ten) fell to the No. 23 Minnesota Golden Gophers (27-10, 27-10 Big Ten), 4-0, Friday night at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field.
Both teams traded hits in the first inning, with the Nittany Lions' coming from redshirt senior Kennedy Legg, but the game would stay scoreless after one.
Minnesota would get on the board first in the top of the third with a three-run home run that was smoked out of the park off the scoreboard in left field.
The Golden Gophers hit another home run to the same spot in the fourth to make it 4-0.
In the top of the fifth, Penn State freshman second baseman Mel Coombs made a great little snag to keep the ball from going through the right side to keep Minnesota off the board.
Penn State truly had a good defensive outing, also seen in sophomore shortstop's Kaitlyn Morrison play in the top of the seventh to give the Nittany Lions a chance.
Sophomore Michelle Leone tried to get things going in the bottom of the seventh with a pinch-hit hit-by-pitch, but ultimately Minnesota got the third out to win the game.
ON DECK
The series continues between Penn State and Minnesota on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Game one will be streamed on Big Ten Network+ before game two is broadcast live on Big Ten Network at 7 p.m.
