COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Penn State softball took an early lead in the top of the second inning but was unable to add additional run support the rest of the way as the Maryland Terrapins snagged a 2-1 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Maryland Softball Stadium.
The Nittany Lions experienced their first defeat after winning five straight contests, moving to 25-14 overall in the 2023 season while dropping to 6-10 in Big Ten Conference competition. Penn State is now 5-5 in its last 10 games but maintains a strong 4-1 record in its last five. Following its series-tying victory, the Terrapins improve to 31-14 overall and now own a 7-9 ledger in Big Ten Conference play.
Although the Nittany Lions did not extend their win streak on Saturday, the Blue & White saw continued offensive success from senior left fielder Maggie Finnegan, who finished the afternoon with a 2-for-3 performance in the box following a pair of singles. The McHenry, Illinois, native extended her hitting streak to eight consecutive games, the longest active stretch on the Nittany Lion roster. Junior second baseman Melody Coombs went a solid 1-for-2 against Maryland in game two, blasting a double in the top of the second that registered an RBI.
Penn State once again called on the dynamic pitching duo of fifth-year stars Kylee Lingenfelter and Bailey Parshall to manage the duties in the circle on Saturday afternoon. The Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, native Lingenfelter booked her second start in as many days, tossing 62 total pitches and finishing with 4.0 innings in the circle. Lingenfelter allowed only one hit as well as one earned run, booking both a strikeout and a walk in the process. Parshall was saddled with the loss against the Terrapins, moving to 16-9 overall after 2.0 innings of work and 21 total pitches thrown.
The Blue & White wasted no time in trying to extend their momentum from the previous five games, as Penn State struck first with a one-run second inning. After a Nittany Lion lined out to open the inning, sophomore designated player Maddie Gordon drew a key walk to put PSU's first runner on first base. Gordon extended her reached-base streak to nine straight games, the best active individual mark at PSU and the team's sixth-best stretch this season. In the next plate appearance, Coombs smacked an RBI double down the left field line that gave Gordon just enough time to complete her jaunt around the basepath and provide PSU with an early 1-0 lead.
Maryland waited until the bottom of the third inning to record its response, as Megan Mikami drew a walk and stole second after a Terrapin strikeout. Jaeda McFarland singled in the ensuing at-bat and drove Mikami home in the process to tie the game at one run apiece. After an uneventful fourth frame, Sammi Woods booked a single on an 0-2 count with one out on the board in the bottom of the fifth, advancing to third after Mikami knocked a single of her own on the ensuing at-bat. Mikami stole a base to put runners on second and third, and a Kiley Goff sacrifice fly drove Woods in to score what proved to be the game-winning run. Although PSU's defense hung tough the rest of the way, the Nittany Lions did not muster another run to extend the game, finalizing Maryland's 2-1 win.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS
Maggie Finnegan | 2-for-3, 2 H
Melody Coombs | 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
Kylee Lingenfelter | 4.0 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K, 62 TP
KEY INNINGS
T2 | After a Nittany Lion lined out to open the inning, Maddie Gordon drew a key walk to put PSU's first runner on first base. Melody Coombs smacked an RBI double down the left field line that gave Gordon just enough time to complete her jaunt around the basepath. PSU 1, UMD 0.
B3 | Megan Mikami drew a walk and stole second after a Terrapin strikeout. Jaeda McFarland singled in the ensuing at-bat and drove Mikami home in the process to tie the game. PSU 1, UMD 1.
B5 | Sammi Woods booked a single on an 0-2 count with one out on the board, advancing to third after Mikami booked a single of her own on the ensuing at-bat. Mikami stole a base to put runners on second and third, and a Kiley Goff sacrifice fly drove Woods in to score the game-winning run. UMD 2, PSU 1.
UP NEXT
Penn State softball remains in Maryland for the final leg of its three-game stretch against the Terrapins. First pitch from Maryland Softball Stadium on Sunday, April 23, is slated for noon (ET), with the game set for worldwide streaming via B1G+.
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Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State softball. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion softball team on Facebook at /pennstatesoftball as well as Twitter and Instagram @PennStateSB.
