UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.- The Penn State softball team (16-11, 0-0 Big Ten) ended the Penn State Softball Invitational 5-0 after two wins against Cornell and Rider on Sunday.
Against Cornell, the Nittany Lions won via run rule 10-2 for the second game in a row. Maggie Finnegan's three-run home run was the final blow to the Big Red in the bottom of the fifth in game one. The Nittany Lions and Broncs battled it out in a pitching duel in game two, with Lexie Black's walk off being the difference, giving Penn State the 2-1 victory in 8 innings.
Game 1
The Nittany Lions started where they left off Saturday night. Lexie Black hit her second home run in two games to give Penn State a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Black got another RBI in the bottom of the third with a sac fly to center field, driving in Mel Coombs.
Cornell got on the board in the top of the fourth by way of a two-run home run, which cut the lead to 3-2. Black continued her monster game, this time on the defensive end, making a great diving catch in foul territory to limit the Big Red in the top of the fourth.
Penn State busted the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back doubles from Coombs and Cassie Lindmark extended the Nittany Lions lead to 7-2. With Michelle Leone and Lilia Crouthamel on base in the bottom of the fifth, Maggie Finnegan roped a ball over the left field fence, sealing the 10-2 run rule win.
Game 2
Ally Kurland started game two off with a bang, hitting her ninth home run of the season to give Penn State a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Both Anna-Mari Groskritz of Rider and Vanessa Oatley battled it out for the first three innings of the game, with Oatley allowing only one hit. After the Broncs scored a run to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth, Bailey Parshall took the mound and shut Rider down.
Parshall and Groskritz matched each other all the way till extra innings. After Parshall kept Rider off the board in the top of the eighth, Lexie Black stepped up to play hero yet again. A single from Black drove home Cassie Lindmark and gave Penn State the 2-1 win in eight innings.
Game Notes
- Lexie Black hit homerun number seven of the season against Cornell, which is second on the team. It was her second consecutive game with a home run.
- Cassie Lindmark reached base and got a hit for the 11th consecutive game in the doubleheader. That streak is the longest by a Nittany Lion this season.
- Lindmark led the Nittany Lions offensively over the weekend, batting .583 with 6 RBI and a .667 on base percentage.
- Mel Coombs notched her second multi-RBI game of the season in the game against Cornell. It was her second consecutive multi-RBI game.
- Bailey Parshall went 4-0 over the course of the week for Penn State. In 21 innings pitched, she allowed only seven hits while striking out 27 and allowing zero runs.
What's Next
The Nittany Lions continue their homestand against Saint Francis on Tuesday, March 22. First pitch from Happy Valley is set for 6 p.m. with the game being broadcasted on B1G+ ($).
Recap written in part by Strategic Communications Intern Micheala Broussard