IOWA CITY, Iowa – Penn State softball enters the postseason for the third consecutive year and kicks off the 2024 Big Ten Softball Tournament on Wednesday, May 8, as the Nittany Lions get set to square off against the Maryland Terrapins in opening-round action from Pearl Field on the campus of the University of Iowa. Wednesday's first-round test will air before a national television audience via the Big Ten Network and stream live via the FOX Sports App.
GAME INFORMATION
To find a complete list of tournament information, purchase tickets or learn more about the Iowa City area, click the link here to access the Big Ten's 2024 Tournament Central webpage. Click here to access the Tournament Central webpage provided by the University of Iowa.
#7 Penn State vs. #10 Maryland | Wednesday, May 8 | 5:30 p.m. ET | BTN | Live Stats
#7 Penn State vs. #2 Michigan* | Thursday, May 9 | 5:30 p.m. ET | BTN | Live Stats
#7 Penn State vs. B1G Semifinal* | Friday, May 10 | 7:30 p.m. ET | BTN | Live Stats
#7 Penn State vs. B1G Championship* | Saturday, May 11 | 4 p.m. ET | BTN | Live Stats
* - Denotes that game will be played if necessary
FOLLOW ALONG
All 12 games in the 2024 Big Ten Softball Tournament will air to a national television audience via the Big Ten Network, with streaming available via the FOX Sports App. PSU's tournament opener against Maryland, as well as potential matchups in the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game, will feature Lisa Byington and Jennie Ritter on the call. Live stats for all 12 contests provided by StatBroadcast and the University of Iowa will be available at the tournament central webpage at BigTen.org/sb. Live stats for Penn State's games will also be linked on the Nittany Lion softball schedule webpage at GoPSUsports.com/sports/softball.
QUICK HITS
The Nittany Lions prepare for their third postseason appearance under the direction of fourth-year head coach Clarisa Crowell, with the Blue & White seeking a postseason victory in three-straight years for the first time since the program accomplished that feat in the Big Ten Tournament from 2015 to 2017. Offensively, Penn State is led by senior middle infielder Kaitlyn Morrison's .349 overall batting average in addition to senior catcher Gaby Garcia's 11 home runs and 41 RBI. Junior utility Maddie Gordon paces the Nittany Lions in multiple statistical categories, highlighted by her team-high-tying 11 dingers alongside Garcia. Both Gordon and Garcia are tied for the eighth-most homers in a single season in PSU program history. Freshman sensation Bridget Nemeth prepares for her first foray into postseason softball this week in Iowa City, with the rookie right-handed pitcher needing just one more winning decision to set the Nittany Lion program record for wins in a year. Nemeth leads the team with a 1.68 overall season ERA paired with a historic 22-5 individual record in the circle.
BACK IN THE B1G LEAGUES
The Nittany Lions prepare for their 17th appearance in the Big Ten Tournament all-time and their third consecutive. PSU owns a 15-20 overall record in the event since the program's first appearance in the 1999 campaign, good enough for a .429 win percentage. Penn State booked its best finish at the Big Ten Conference Softball Tournament in 2000, 2002 and 2016, reaching the semifinal round of the event. The 2016 Nittany Lions hosted the the B1G Tournament for the first time in school history and picked up the No. 4 overall seed in the tournament, the team's highest seed since the league adopted a single-elimination format ahead of the 2004 postseason. PSU registered a thrilling 8-7 win over fifth-seeded Nebraska before falling by a 6-1 margin against top-seeded Michigan at Beard Field. Under the direction of head coach Clarisa Crowell, the Blue & White boast an even 2-2 postseason record with back-to-back first round victories in the league tournament in 2022 and 2023.
MATCHING UP WITH MARYLAND
Head coach Lauren Karn leads the Maryland Terrapins into the postseason in her first year as a B1G skipper, directing UMD to a 23-29 overall record paired with an 8-15 mark against Big Ten Conference competitors over the course of the 2024 campaign. The Terrapins enter the postseason as the league's No. 10 overall seed fresh off a weekend sweep on the road against the Wisconsin Badgers to ensure their postseason trip. Maryland also boasts an additional series victory in conference competition against fifth-seeded Minnesota, with single-game wins over Penn State, Illinois and Purdue. On an individual basis, veteran centerfielder Jaeda McFarland leads the way in the outfield and at the plate with a .362 batting average. Diamond Williams paces the squad with 13 homers while Sydney Lewis owns the team lead in RBI with 41. Veteran power pitcher Courtney Wyche leads the B1G in strikeouts and owns the team lead in earned run average with a 2.84 mark.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Penn State and Maryland gear up for their 41st all-time meetings this week in Iowa City, with PSU maintaining a 24-16 edge in the series since the first contest between the two squads in 1999. One of PSU's closest geographical rivals, the Nittany Lions and Terrapins have faced off in a weekend series every year since Maryland joined the B1G in the 2015 spring campaign, excluding the COVID-maligned 2020 season. In the last nine meetings, PSU and UMD have played relative even, Penn State leading 5-4 following the last three series.Penn State and Maryland get set for their second all-time postseason meeting and first meeting in the postseason since PSU took home a 10-6 win in the first round of the 2015 Big Ten Tournament. The Nittany Lions came away with the victory in this year's weekend series, dropping the opener before rattling off two straight wins in Happy Valley. Sunday's 12-inning, 1-0 thriller marked the longest game played by the Nittany Lions in 2024.
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 Instagram and X @PennStateSB.
