LEESBURG, Fla. – The Penn State softball team took the 11th-ranked Missouri Tigers to extra innings in the 2022 season opener, battling to a tough 2-1 loss in eight innings Friday morning at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.
It was a pitcher's duel through the first seven innings, with senior lefty Bailey Parshall grabbing the start for Penn State and throwing 7.0 innings with 10 strikeouts, one walk, four hits and no runs. Missouri's Jordan Weber threw 6.0 innings with 10 strikeouts, two walks, one hit and no runs.
Parshall sat down the first five batters she faced before the Tigers broke through with a two-out single and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the second to leave runners stranded.
Mizzou again got two runners on in their next offensive frame with a lead-off single and a one-out double, but the Nittany Lion defense did a good job to keep the baserunners in place with the next two outs.
Senior catcher Ally Kurland broke Weber's no-hitter in the top of the sixth with a double to the fence which would've scored sophomore Mel Coombs had she not been called out a pitch earlier for leaving first early.
In the bottom of the sixth, Coombs and junior Maggie Finnegan made back-to-back SportsCenter-worthy catches for the quick defensive inning. Coombs laid out to grab a pop-up in foul territory along the first base line while Finnegan absolutely robbed a potential Missouri home run with a catch over the right field fence.
Both Penn State and Missouri would have a baserunner in the seventh, but the score would remain scoreless to force some free softball.
Extra innings in the Northern Lights Southern Nights Tournament features the International Tie-Breaker Rule, which places a runner on second base to start each frame.
Freshman Lydia Coleman started on second for the Nittany Lions in the top of the eighth and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Coleman then scored on an RBI single from sophomore Lauren Marcotte to put Penn State in front, 1-0, with one out. Coombs then had a bloop single to add another baserunner, but Mizzou recorded back-to-back strikeouts to stay within one.
Senior Kylee Lingenfelter entered the circle for the extra frame, and three walks scored the tying run before the nationally ranked Tigers hit a walk-off single down the left field line for the win.
ON DECK
Penn State continues play in the Northern Lights Southern Nights Tournament in Leesburg on Saturday with two games. The Nittany Lions will first face Eastern Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. before matching up with UConn at 4 p.m.
GAME NOTES
- Senior pitcher Bailey Parshall reached and surpassed the 400 career strikeouts mark after starting the game with 396.
𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒 👏
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) February 11, 2022
With that last strikeout, @baileyparshall has reached 400 career strikeouts (and going)!#WeAre pic.twitter.com/e2U32DZexm
- Parshall recorded 10 strikeouts in 7.0 innings for her 11th career double-digit strikeout game.
- Freshman Lydia Coleman and junior transfer Cassie Lindmark both made their Penn State debuts in the starting lineup.