UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – After cranking a combined 19 hits on the afternoon, Penn State softball celebrated its senior class in style with a pair of impressive victories over the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday at Beard Field and Nittany Lion Softball Park. PSU opened the day with a 9-1 run-rule win over Illinois and followed it with an equally impressive 6-2 result in the nightcap.
Following both domineering victories, the Nittany Lions improved to 28-14 overall and need just one more victory to even up their Big Ten Conference ledger, currently managing a 9-10 mark in the league. The Blue & White have been on a roll in the past three weeks, booking wins in eight of their last nine contests dating to a weekend sweep of Rutgers on April 14-16. PSU has won seven of its last eight Big Ten games, outscoring its conference competitors by a 33-11 margin in that stretch. In defeat, the Fighting Illini drop to 28-23 overall with a 6-12 mark in the B1G.
In recognition of their time representing the Blue & White, Nittany Lion softball took a moment to honor seven seniors prior to Saturday afternoon's doubleheader. Lexie Black, Maggie Finnegan, Morgan Farrah, Michelle Leone, Cassie Lindmark, Vanessa Oatley and Kathryn Rex have all represented Penn State University at the highest level, both on the field and in the classroom over the course of their four years in Happy Valley. PSU also celebrated its trio of super seniors, with Lilia Crouthamel, Kylee Lingenfelter and Bailey Parshall being honored during the second game of the day.
Junior third baseman Emily Maddock was once again an unshakable force in the batter's box, going a combined 5-for-7 on the day in addition to scoring a pair of runs. Leone, a senior designated player from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, went 3-for-5 in her at-bats, booking a pair of RBI singles on the day. Senior shortstop Kaitlyn Morrison went 3-for-6 with a double and three-run homer against the Illini, while Black and Finnegan each managed to celebrate their senior day ceremonies with home runs of their own in game two.
In the circle for the Blue & White, Parshall got things started in game one with her 13th complete game of the 2023 campaign. The Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, native went 5.0 innings and tossed 64 total pitches in the opener, allowing just three hits with one earned run in addition to a walk against four strikeouts. Parshall earned the winning decision in game one, rising to 17-9 this season. Lingenfelter booked the start in game two, booking 6.1 frames of work and tossing 118 pitches in her ninth win of 2023. She tallied a grand total of seven strikeouts in PSU's game-two win and was relieved in the top of the seventh by Parshall.
Illinois made things interesting to open the doubleheader, as the Fighting Illini struck first in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead into the home half. The Nittany Lion bats responded with an impressive showing in the bottom of the first, as an RBI single from Morrison brought Lindmark home and a pair of bases-loaded walks propelled Penn State to a 3-1 lead through one. The Blue & White tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the second inning, leaving Illinois speechless and trailing by five runs. PSU added another run for good measure in the bottom of the third, but a quiet fourth inning left the door open for Illinois to attempt a comeback.
Penn State slammed that door shut in the bottom of the fifth. Leone singled to left center and Liana Jones entered the game to run for her at first. After Morgan Farrah came in to pinch hit for Coombs, Jones managed to steal second. Farrah drew a walk on six pitches and Coombs re-entered the game to run at first. A Crouthamel flyout allowed both runners to advance, and a Finnegan fielder's choice to the third baseman allowed Jones to score and Coombs to advance to third. With all eyes on the Kempton, Pennsylvania, native Maddock, she singled through the left side to plate Coombs and book the walk-off hit to finalize the 9-1 Nittany Lion win in game one.
Penn State's offense refused to slow down heading into game two with Illinois' ace in the circle. The Nittany Lions logged one run in the home half of the first to set the tone and added two more in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 advantage in the game. PSU's slugging showed off in the bottom of the fourth, as Finnegan led off the inning with a never-in-doubt homer over the left field wall. After a Nittany Lion lined out to the centerfielder, Lindmark drew yet another walk, her third of the game. With one out and a 2-1 count on the scoreboard, Black cranked Penn State's second home run of the frame over the wall in left-center, bringing Lindmark home in the process. Despite a last-minute comeback attempt by the Illini, Penn State left Beard Field with a pair of strong victories following its 6-2 win.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS (GAME ONE)
Kaitlyn Morrison | 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Emily Maddock | 3-for-4, 3H, RBI
Michelle Leone | 2-for-2, 2H, RBI, BB
Bailey Parshall | 5.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 4K, 64 TP, WIN (17-9)
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS (GAME TWO)
Lexie Black | 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
Emily Maddock | 2-for-3, 2H, 2 R
Maggie Finnegan | 1-for-4, HR, RBI, 1 R
Kylee Lingenfelter | 6.1 IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 7K, 118 TP, WIN (9-4)
KEY INNINGS (GAME ONE)
T1 | Stevie Meade drew a leadoff walk and the following Illini batter struck out swinging. Kailee Powell doubled to left field and advanced to third on the throw, while Meade completed her jaunt around the basepath. ILL 1, PSU 0.
B1 | With one out on the board, Emily Maddock singled to second base and advanced to second after Cassie Lindmark was hit by an Illinois pitch in the next plate appearance. Lexie Black singled up the middle to move Lindmark to third, but Maddock was thrown out at home by the centerfielder. Kaitlyn Morrison followed with an RBI single through the left side that plated Lindmark and moved Black to second. Maddie Gordon knocked a single in the direction of the shortstop to juice the bases, and a pair of walks drawn by Michelle Leone and Melody Coombs added two more runs for the Blue & White. PSU 3, ILL 1.
B2 | Maggie Finnegan opened the second by launching a double down the left field line followed by a PSU groundout. During Lindmark's at-bat, Finnegan advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Lindmark sent an RBI single to center field that drove Finnegan home. After an Illini pitching change, PSU popped up to the first baseman to put two outs on the board. In the following at-bat, Morrison blasted a two-run homer to left field that extended the Nittany Lion lead. PSU 6, ILL 1.
B3 | Leone singled to right field and Jenna Nelson came in to pinch run for her at first. After a Nittany Lion strikeout, Nelson proceeded to steal second base while Lilia Crouthamel drew a six-pitch walk. Maddock singled to the left side of the infield, allowing Crouthamel to advance to third while Nelson completed her journey home following a throwing error by Illinois' shortstop. PSU 7, ILL 1.
B5 | Leone singled to left center and Liana Jones entered the game to run for her at first. After Morgan Farrah came in to pinch hit for Coombs, Jones managed to steal second. Farrah drew a walk on six pitches and Coombs re-entered the game to run at first. A Crouthamel flyout allowed both runners to advance, and a Finnegan fielder's choice to the third baseman allowed Jones to score and Coombs to advance to third. Maddock singled through the left side to plate Coombs and book the walk-off hit in game one. PSU 9, ILL 1.
KEY INNINGS (GAME TWO)
B1 | With one out on the board, Maddock entered the box and cranked a single in the shortstop's direction. Lindmark drew a walk on five pitches to put runners on first and second, and a Morrison double to left center moved Lindmark to third while bringing Maddock around. PSU 1, ILL 0.
B3 | Maddock cranked a leadoff single up the middle and Lindmark drew her second walk of the day to put PSU runners on first and second. Nelson came in to pinch run for Lindmark at first base. Black's sacrifice bunt attempt was mishandled on the throw by the pitcher toward first base, juicing the bases in the process. A pair of Nittany Lion outs ensued, but Leone managed to log an RBI single up the middle to bring Maddock home. In the next at-bat, Coombs singled to right, plating Nelson. PSU 3, ILL 0.
B4 | Finnegan led off the bottom of the fourth with a dominant homer to left field on a 1-1 count. After a Nittany Lion lined out to the centerfielder, Lindmark drew yet another walk, her third of the game. With one out and a 2-1 count on the scoreboard, Black cranked Penn State's second home run of the inning over the wall in left-center, bringing Lindmark home in the process. PSU 6, ILL 0.
T7 | Gabi Robles lined a leadoff single toward the third baseman to open the inning. Kelly Ryono singled to right center, moving Robles to second, and Powell singled through the right side in the following at-bat to load the bases. After a PSU pitching change, Delaney Rummell sent a double down the left field line to bring Robles and Ryono around. PSU 6, ILL 2.
UP NEXT
Penn State softball prepares to close out the home portion of its 2023 campaign on Sunday, April 30, as the Nittany Lions conclude their series with the Illinois Fighting Illini. First pitch from Beard Field and Nittany Lion Softball Park is scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET), with streaming available to a worldwide audience via B1G+.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
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.
