UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Fifth-year pitcher Bailey Parshall recorded the 700th strikeout of her collegiate career and the Penn State softball team (18-4) walked off the Pittsburgh Panthers in extra innings by a 1-0 margin Tuesday night at Beard Field.
Parshall, a Pittsburgh-area native, kept the Nittany Lions in contention from start to finish as she allowed three hits over eight innings while tallying 11 strikeouts. Parshall's complete-game dominance included a strikeout in every inning but one, highlighted by the 700th of her career in the top of the seventh against Panther sophomore Kylie Griggs.
The Nittany Lions' stout defense throughout the contest held the Panther attack at bay, with senior shortstop Kaitlyn Morrison showing off her range with a deep throw from the edge of the infield dirt to nab a speedy runner. Morrison also managed to record an out on an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left-center later in the game.
On a day where hits were hard to come by, junior second baseman Melody Coombs went 2-for-4 with a triple. Junior designated player Emily Maddock recorded two hits on the evening, including the walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth.
The first three innings featured a battle in the circle between Parshall and Pitt's Abby Edwards. Parshall yielded just a pair of infield hits and struck out three batters while Edwards hadn't allowed a hit while fanning two.
In the top of the fourth inning, Pitt graduate Yvonne Whaley roped a single down the line before moving over to second via a sacrifice bunt. Whaley applied extra pressure by stealing third, but Parshall responded with back-to-back strikeouts to work PSU out of the jam and send Pittsburgh's baserunners back to the dugout.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Melody Coombs turned on the jets as she smashed a triple to left field but was ultimately left stranded at third. Parshall struck Griggs out swinging to close out the top of the seventh, and PSU failed to plate anyone in the bottom of the frame to force extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, the bases were juiced for Maddock with one out as junior left fielder Liana Jones and Coombs both beat out infield groundballs and fifth-year center fielder Lilia Crouthamel battled a through a nine-pitch at-bat to draw a walk. With two strikes, Maddock singled up the middle and walked it off for the Nittany Lions to finalize the 1-0 score.
NEXT UP
Penn State softball continues an eight-game homestand with its Big Ten-opening series against the Iowa Hawkeyes beginning on Friday, March 24, and running through Sunday, March 26. The series begins with a 5 p.m. first pitch Friday evening on Beard Field.