UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The Penn State softball team (25-16, 7-5 Big Ten) outlasted Indiana (23-12, 6-6 Big Ten) 8-6 in a slugfest at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field on Sunday afternoon. Penn State secured its second Big Ten series win of the season and improved to 13-3 at home in 2022.
Ally Kurland had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two home runs. She is now tied with Jennifer Tripken for second all-time in program history for home runs in a season with 16. Maggie Finnegan also continued her hot weekend at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple.
Bailey Parshall went all seven innings again for Penn State, earning her 16th win of the season. Macy
Montgomery took her fourth loss of the year for Indiana.
How It Happened
Indiana started the game fast on offense like the previous game, putting a run on the board in the top of the first.
The Nittany Lions responded with power. Cassie Lindmark was walked then Ally Kurland blasted a ball over the center field wall to make it a 2-1 game.
Maggie Finnegan continued her hot weekend at the plate in the next inning, tripling to left field. A Lexie Black sac fly then drove Finnegan home to make it 3-1 Penn State after two. Ally Kurland extended the Penn State lead in the bottom of the third, smashing a ball over the right field wall for her second home run of the game and a 4-1 Penn State lead.
Indiana battled back in the top of the fourth. Brittany Ford hit a home run of her own to right field, cutting the game to 4-3. The Nittany Lions then exploded in the bottom half of the inning.
Finnegan had her second extra base hit of the day, doubling down the left field line. Black then stepped up to the plate and lofted a ball over the fence right under the scoreboard to make it a 6-3 Penn State lead. Lydia Coleman used her speed to extend a double into three bases following a bobble from the center fielder. RBI singles from Lindmark and Michelle Leone made it an 8-3 game.
The Hoosiers battle back again in the next half inning, scoring two runs off another home run and a fielder choice to make it 8-5. Indiana tacked on another run in the top of the seventh, but the comeback effort wasn't enough. Bailey Parshall earned her 16th win of the year in the circle and Penn State held on for the 8-6 win.
Game Notes
- Kurland had her second multi-home run game of the season in the win. She is now tied for second in program history for home runs in a single season with 16.
- It was also Kurland's ninth multi-RBI game of the season.
- Finnegan finished the weekend batting .500 with two home runs, a triple, and a double. Finnegan registered her third multi-hit game of the season in the win.
- Cassie Lindmark extended her hitting streak to five games. The junior finished the weekend batting .600 with six hits, three doubles, and two RBI.
- Michelle Leone and Liana Jones both extended their on-base steaks to three games.
- Lydia Coleman had her first extra base hit in the win.
- The Nittany Lions improve to 13-3 at home in 2022 with four home games remaining on the schedule.
What's Next
The Nittany Lions hit the road for a Tuesday doubleheader against Ohio State. Game one of that doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. with the second game slated for 5:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on B1G+ ($).