CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – Penn State softball split a doubleheader at Illinois Saturday to reach the 30-win mark on the season for the first time since 2016. The 2-0 victory in game 2 also marked the 12th Big Ten win of the year, which is tied for third most in program history. Lexie Black provided the offense in game 2 with a two-run homer and Bailey Parshall picked up her 20th win of the season to become the third pitcher in Penn State history to accomplish the feat.
Game 1: Illinois 4, Penn State 3
The Illini took the early 2-0 lead, but Penn State responded immediately and went in front 3-2 and held the lead until allowing a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth in a 4-3 loss to Illinois in game one of a doubleheader.
The Illini got on the board first in the opening frame after loading the base with a single and a pair of bunts. The lead runner was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice to Lexie Black, but Stevie Meade, who was on second came around to score on a throwing error to first base by Cassie Lindmark. Illinois added a second run on a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 2-0 after one.
Penn State responded in the top half of the third as Michelle Leone got on on an error by the shortstop on a hard-hit ball. With one out, Cassie Lindmark singled on a chopper over the third baseman's shoulder, which was changed postgame to an error, and advanced Lydia Coleman, who was running for Leone, to second. As she has all season, Ally Kurland had a key hit with a shot to the gap to score Coleman and get the Lions on the board.
The Lions continued to find success as Lauren Marcotte came to the plate with runners on the corners and pushed the run across with a soft grounder to the shortstop. The Lions weren't done yet as Kaitlyn Morrison singled to the second baseman, who threw the ball out of play to score Kurland and give the Lions a 3-2 lead.
Illinois started the bottom of the sixth with a trio of singles to load the bases. The Penn State defense buckled down and got two consecutive outs at home on balls to Morrison at second. With two outs, Avery Steiner singled to right field to score a pair of runs and give the Illini a 4-3 lead.
The Lions could not muster anything in the bottom of the seventh and dropped the 4-3 decision.
Game 2: Penn State 2, Illinois 0
Penn State got a two-run home run from Lexie Black and that's all it needed thanks to terrific pitching performances from Kylee Lingenfelter and Bailey Parshall. The win is the 30th on the season for the Nittany Lions and 12th in Big Ten play. PSU reaches 30 wins in a season for the first time since 2016 and just the 13th time in school history, while the 12th Big Ten wins are tied for third most in program history.
The Illini threatened in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out. But on a grounder to second, Kaitlyn Morrison threw the running out heading for home to secure the second out and Maggie Finnegan ended the threat by catching a line drive in right field.
In the top of the fourth, Cassie Lindmark got the ball rolling with a single to right field. Mel Coombs pinch ran for Lindmark, and promptly stole second base before moving to third on a groundout by Ally Kurland. Lexie Black came to the plate with two outs and slugged a pitch dead into the win over the center field wall to plate a pair and give Penn State a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Illinois got two runners on via a pair of Penn State errors. After a single by Avery Steiner, a quick throw in by Finnegan forced the runner at third to stop and caught the runner at second in a rundown which led to the second out of the inning. With runners on second and third, Parshall induced a grounder that she fielded and threw to first base to claim the win.
Game Notes:
- Penn State reached the 30-win mark for the first time since 2016 and the 13th time in program history.
- The Nittany Lions' 12 Big Ten wins are the most since 2016 and the third most in school history.
- Penn State has claimed at least one win in every Big Ten series for the first time in program history since the Big Ten returned to three-game series in 2012 and second time overall (2003).
- Bailey Parshall picked up her 20th win of the season in relief of Kylee Lingenfelter in game 2. She is just the third pitcher in Penn State history to reach 20 wins in a season joining Kelly McCann (22; 2001) and Jackie Hill (20; 2011). She ranks tied for second for most wins in a season with Hill.
- Parshall also has 194 strikeouts on the season, which is tied for sixth in single-season program history with Jaci Kalp in 2000. Parshall's 194 strikeouts are the most for a Penn State pitcher since Jackie Hill has 201 strikeouts in 2011.
- Lexie Black hit her ninth home run of the year and first since the Indiana series in the fourth inning of game 2.