UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team (6-34, 6-34 Big Ten) dropped two games to No. 23 Minnesota (29-10, 29-10 Big Ten) in a doubleheader Saturday evening at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field.
Game 1: Minnesota 8, Penn State 3
Game one of the day lasted nearly two and a half hours as both teams traded baserunners and high pitch counts before Minnesota outlasted the Nittany Lions, 8-3.
After both teams traded a three up three down first inning, junior Ally Kurland got the Nittany Lions on the board first in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left center, her fifth of the season.
Minnesota then countered with five runs on five hits and an error in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead.
As always though, Penn State fought back in the bottom of the inning to cut the score to 5-3 with two runs on three hits and an error. Sophomore Kaitlyn Morrison started the offense off with a stand-up double to left center. Senior Dani Fey then advanced Morrison to third on a sacrifice bunt before junior Melina Livingston brought her home on a RBI single through the left side.
Freshman Mel Coombs then reached on a fielders choice and stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Minnesota catcher. Redshirt senior Kennedy Legg then plated Coombs on a RBI single.
The Golden Gophers got a run back in the fourth on a solo home run by Natalie DenHartog to make it 6-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Lexie Black drew a walk and Morrison reached on an error, but neither could be plated to get Penn State more runs on the board.
Minnesota added two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh for the eventual 8-3 winning score.
Game 2: Minnesota 10, Penn State 0
Minnesota used a six-run fifth inning to take the momentum for the rest of the game for the 10-0 victory in game two of the doubleheader on Big Ten Network.
In the opening frame on the first pitch of the game, junior outfielder Lilia Crouthamel made an incredible diving catch in left field, worthy of a SportsCenter Top 10 nomination.
Y'ALL THIS CATCH BY LILIA CROUTHAMEL WAS SO UNREAL IT NEEDS ITS OWN POST 😱😱😱@SportsCenter @NCAAsoftball @BigTenNetwork #WeAre | #NCAASoftball | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/XImBIdc9me
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) May 15, 2021
In the Nittany Lions' first offensive at-bat of the game, Coombs had a stand-up double to lead off before being stranded to keep the game scoreless.
The next three innings saw each team get two baserunners on, but would also remain scoreless.
The Golden Gophers then started the top of the fifth inning off with back-to-back home runs before adding four more runs on one hit and two errors to take a 6-0 lead.
Minnesota tacked on four more runs in the top of the seventh on three hits and an error to get to its 10 runs in the game to clinch a series win.
ON DECK
The 2021 season and the series finale against Minnesota concludes Sunday at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field at 1 p.m. The program will honor its three seniors – Logan Black, Dani Fey and Kennedy Legg – pregame, presented by the Penn State Alumni Association.
GAME NOTES
- Junior Ally Kurland hit her fifth home run of the season in game one, a single-season career high for the catcher.
- Sophomore Kaitlyn Morrison registered her third multi-hit game of the season in game one.