LEESBURG, Fla. – The Penn State softball team struggled in its season-opening doubleheader against Wisconsin, dropping both games to the Badgers Friday night at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.
Game 1: Wisconsin 4, Penn State 0
Penn State couldn't quite find its groove offensively in the first game with its lone hit, a triple, coming from redshirt senior Kennedy Legg in the bottom of the seventh.
The game remained scoreless until the third inning when Wisconsin was able to plate two runs on back-to-back RBI doubles.
The Badgers added another run in the top of the fourth when Ally Miklesh stole three bases in the half inning to make it 3-0.
Their fourth run came off two hits in the sixth for the eventual 4-0 winning score.
Junior pitcher Bailey Parshall started the game in the circle and threw 11 strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
Game 2: Wisconsin 4, Penn State 2
The Nittany Lions swung the bat better in game two, totaling six hits to Wisconsin's two.
Junior catcher Ally Kurland kicked the scoring off in the top of the first with a RBI double to left center to plate classmate Melina Livingston who was hit by a pitch to get on base.
The Badgers were able to tie the game in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly to make it 1-1.
Wisconsin was then able to take the lead in the third after junior pitcher Kylee Lingenfelter was called for an illegal pitch which gave up a walk instead of making it two outs. The Badgers were able to take advantage of the runners on base and an error in the outfield to score three runs with two outs to take a 4-1 lead.
Penn State was able to take some of that momentum back, however, adding a run of its own in the next half inning to make it a two-run game. Freshman Lauren Marcotte started the rally with a two-out single to center field, followed by a single to left by junior Lilia Crouthamel.
Freshman Mel Coombs then singled down the left field line to bring home Marcotte for her first collegiate RBI.
Sophomore pitcher Vanessa Oatley entered the circle for the Nittany Lions in the bottom of the fourth and brought tons of energy to the defense with a strikeout and helping turn a double play, but the offense couldn't find the runs to extend the game.
ON DECK
Penn State will continue play down in Florida and the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex on Saturday with a doubleheader against Purdue. Game one is set to start at 4:15 p.m. and game two will start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Both games will be streamed on Big Ten Network+.
GAME NOTES
- Junior pitcher Bailey Parshall recorded her ninth career game with double-digit strikeouts.
- Freshmen Lauren Marcotte and Mel Coombs made their Penn State debuts, starting both games at shortstop and left field, respectively. Both recorded their first collegiate hits in game two, Coombs' being a RBI that brought in Marcotte for a run.
- Freshman classmate Liana Jones also made her Penn State debut in the second game out of the dugout as a defensive substitute.
- Junior Ally Kurland registered a multi-hit game in the second game for her first of the season.