UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State softball loaded the bases multiple times in the waning moments of the game but failed to overcome Michigan State's 6-2 advantage Sunday afternoon at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field.
Penn State's overall record dropped to 30-9 through this point in the 2024 campaign, coupled with a 9-3 start to Big Ten Conference competition following the Nittany Lions' fourth consecutive series win this weekend in Happy Valley. The Spartans added another tally in the all-time series against the Blue & White, climbing to 32-43 all-time. Michigan State booked its second victory of the week and saw its first win in Big Ten play in the last seven contests, rising to 15-25 overall and 2-11 in the B1G following Sunday's result.
At the plate, Penn State managed to record seven total hits highlighted by freshman designated player Brooke Klosowicz's first collegiate multi-hit game aided by a pair of singles. Senior Liana Jones tallied her fifth home run of the 2024 campaign on Sunday, booking a 1-for-2 outing with a pair of RBI and two walks. Junior left fielder Maddie Gordon finished the day 1-for-4 with a double, extending her team-best active hitting streak to eight consecutive games. Junior right fielder Haylie Brunson, senior third baseman Emily Maddock and freshman pitcher Bridget Nemeth each added hits for the Blue & White in the weekend finale.
In the circle, sophomore right-hander Paige Maynard earned the start and was saddled with the loss after 1.0 innings with three hits, three runs, two earned runs, a walk and a strikeout. Junior righty Mady Volpe entered in relief in the top of the second and went 3.2 with four hits, three runs, two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts. Nemeth entered the circle and closed things out over the final 2.1 frames, allowing just one hit with zeros in the run, earned run and walk columns with a single strikeout on the day.
Michigan State jumped out to a 4-0 lead through the first two innings of play and preserved their early four-run advantage until the home half of the fourth. Penn State attempted to mount a comeback at that point, as Brunson sent a single through the right side with one out on the board. On an 0-1 count, Jones stepped up to the plate and cranked a homer to left center to cut the Spartan lead back to two. The Spartans immediately responded with a two-run homer of their own in the top of the fifth to close the scoring in the eventual 6-2 MSU victory. Penn State battled over the final three innings of play, but ultimately saw eight runners stranded, including a pair of bases-loaded scoreless frames in the bottom of the fifth and seventh.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS
Liana Jones | 1-for-2, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 BB
Brooke Klosowicz | 2-for-4
Bridget Nemeth | 2.1 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 3BB, 1K, 35TP
KEY INNINGS
T1 | With one out on the board, Anna Fox drew a walk. A strikeout put two away for the Spartan offense, but Fox kept the offense going with a stolen base. A single up the middle from Britain Beshears brought Fox around for the early Michigan State lead. MSU 1, PSU 0
T2 | Collette Allen led the top of the second off with a first-pitch double to right field, and advanced to third after Kayla Bane reached on a fielding error. Bane stole second to put runners on second and third, and Mik Anthony registered a two-RBI single up the middle to give Michigan State a three-run edge. Alexis Ross registered a single to right after a Nittany Lion pitching change that moved Anthony to second, and Hannah Hawley drew a walk to juice the bases. Fox lined into a double play that saw Anthony thrown out at third, but a Sydney Doloszycki single to right plated Ross. MSU 4, PSU 0
B4 | Penn State attempted to mount a comeback starting in the home half of the fourth, as Brunson sent a single through the right side with one out on the board. On an 0-1 count, Jones stepped up to the plate and cranked a homer to left center to cut the Spartan lead back to two. MSU 4, PSU 2
T5 | Michigan State immediately responded in the top of the fifth with another two-run frame. With one away, Jenae Wash mustered a single toward the third baseman and advanced to third on a throwing error. A groundout put two down, but Kayla Bane hit her first homer of the year over the fence in left to expand the Spartan advantage. MSU 6, PSU 2
UP NEXT
Penn State softball hits the road in Big Ten Conference play for its longest stretch of the league slate, with the Nittany Lions set to kick off a five-game road trip with a Tuesday night doubleheader against the Ohio State Buckeyes. First pitch from Buckeye Field on Tuesday, April 16, is slated for 4 p.m. (ET), with a 6:30 p.m. (ET) start tabbed for the nightcap. Both games will stream live to a worldwide audience of authenticated subscribers 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 Instagram and X @PennStateSB.
