CLEARWATER, Fla. – In a pair of highly anticipated opening day matchups at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, the Penn State softball team battled tough but ultimately fell short in a 7-0 matchup with the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils, followed by a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to the No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders Friday night from the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Following Friday night’s action against a pair of NFCA Coaches Poll top-15 foes, the Nittany Lions dropped to 0-2 overall and will continue action on Saturday against Kennesaw State and No. 24 Mississippi State. The Blue Devils rose to 2-0 at the conclusion of Friday’s action, adding a run-rule victory over Mississippi State after defeating PSU, while the Red Raiders moved to 2-1 overall after a split day of competition in Clearwater. In the all-time series with the Blue Devils, Penn State moved to 1-5 overall and 0-1 following the first-ever neutral site fixture in program history. The Blue & White dropped the fifth all-time meeting with Texas Tech on Friday, moving to 2-3 against the Red Raiders.
On the offensive side of the ball, Penn State saw five student-athletes book multiple hits on the day highlighted by a 3-for-5 effort from junior outfielder Jenna Nelson, in addition to a 3-for-7 day from sophomore third baseman Brooke Klosowicz. Fifth-year designated player Meagan Ricks impressed in her inaugural outing as a Nittany Lion, with the Winter Haven, Florida, native churning out a trio of hits on the day highlighted by a pair of doubles. Freshman catcher Macy Chamberlin stole the show in her collegiate debut outings, ultimately hitting 2-for-6 on the day with a moonshot of a two-run homer against the Red Raiders to book her first collegiate hit, homer and RBI in the same swing. Senior right fielder Haylie Brunson rounded out the list of multi-hit contributors on Friday, finishing 2-for-6 on the day with a pair of runs scored.
In the circle, freshman pitcher Abigail Britton was impressive in her collegiate debut, going 6.0 innings in the battle with the Blue Devils while adding a pair of innings pitched against the Red Raiders. Britton, a native of LaVale, Maryland, amassed seven strikeouts against just two walks, tossing 125 total pitches on her first day of collegiate softball competition. Senior right-handed Mady Volpe was a powerhouse in the circle against Texas Tech, finishing her season debut outing with zero earned runs allowed in 5.0 innings pitched. A native of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, Volpe logged a strikeout against the Red Raiders, sitting down reigning National Player of the Year NiJaree Canady for her first K of the 2025 campaign. Additionally, sophomore right-hander Bridget Nemeth and senior southpaw Lydia Spalding both made their season debuts on Friday evening against PSU’s nationally ranked challengers.
Penn State and Duke spent a pair of innings feeling each other out in the early going, with Britton going toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s best pitchers in Cassidy Curd. Duke broke through in the top of the third, when Blue Devil right fielder Brooklinn Thomas led off with a single to left center and stole second base at the next opportunity. The Blue Devils dove into some small ball with Thessa Malau’ulu attempting a sac bunt that PSU’s defense could not corral, allowing Duke runners on the corners. Malau’ulu stole second base moments later, and after the Nittany Lion defense came up clutch with a flyout to right, Duke utilized an RBI grounder from Aminah Vega toward the right side of the infield to bring Thomas around for the opening score. Neither team managed to find further separation until the top half of the seventh inning, when the defending Women’s College World Series participants looked the part in a six-run frame that ultimately closed the book on a 7-0 opening day victory for the Blue Devils.
Texas Tech took control of the game early on against the Nittany Lions, wielding a 5-1 lead through the first three-and-a-half innings of competition. A two-RBI single from sophomore outfielder Michela Barbanente brought the Nittany Lions closer, 5-3, but PSU still needed a spark to take their first lead of the night. With one out on the board in the bottom of the fifth, Klosowicz got the Nittany Lions going with a single up the middle. An emphatic swing on the first pitch of Chamberlin’s at-bat saw the first-year standout leave the ballpark for the first time, mustering her first collegiate hit, homer, RBI and run scored on a play that tied the game for the Nittany Lions. RBI knocks from Ricks and Brunson as well as some shifty baserunning by the Blue & White saw Penn State lurch ahead by a 9-5 margin, but the Red Raiders replied with a five-run seventh inning to take Friday’s nightcap by a 10-9 differential.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS (VS. DUKE)
Meagan Ricks | 1-for-3, 1B
Kaylie Walters | 1-for-3, 1B
Abigail Britton | 6.0 IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K, 89TP
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS (VS. TEXAS TECH)
Brooke Klosowicz | 3-for-4, 3B, R
Macy Chamberlin | 2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI
Mady Volpe | 5.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K, 51TP
KEY INNINGS (VS. DUKE)
T3 | Blue Devil right fielder Brooklinn Thomas led the visitor’s half of the third off with a single to left center and stole second base at the next opportunity. The Blue Devils dove into some small ball with Thessa Malau’ulu attempting a sac bunt that PSU’s defense could not corral, allowing Duke runners on the corners. Malau’ulu stole second base moments later, and after the Nittany Lion defense came up clutch with a flyout to right, Duke utilized an RBI grounder from Aminah Vega toward the right side of the infield to bring Thomas around for the opening score. DUKE 1, PSU 0
T7 | KK Mathis drew a leadoff walk, and Gabriella Mike came in to pinch run for her at first. Thomas followed up with an RBI double to right-center, and an RBI single from Malau’ulu brought Thomas around. D’Auna Jennings kept the Blue Devil offense rolling with a single up the middle, and a wild pitch brought both baserunners 60 feet further. A bases-clearing double to left center by Aminah Vega added two more runs, and a triple to right center by Ana Gold gave Duke a five-run lead. Kairi Rodriguez logged the last knock of the contest for the Blue Devils, plating Gold with a triple to right center. DUKE 7, PSU 0
KEY INNINGS (VS. TEXAS TECH)
T2 | Alana German got the offense rolling for the Red Raiders with a single through the left side, and after a flyout and fielder’s choice saw Hailey Toney take over at first base, Bailey Lindemuth forced some defensive chaos for PSU that culminated in runners on second and third. Raegan Jennings singled up the middle, allowing both Red Raider runners to return home to take an early lead. TTU 2, PSU 0
B2 | Brunson led the bottom of the second inning off with a single to left center and stole second base after a lineout. A PSU flyout allowed her to travel 60 feet further, and a single to the shortstop by Nelson brought Brunson around. TTU 2, PSU 1
T3 | A two-base error by the Penn State defense saw Mihyia Davis reach second base, and another error while attempting to field a bunt saw Makayla Garcia reach first while Davis completed her journey around the basepath. After Garcia stole second and Alana Johnson drew a walk, German hit an RBI single to right that plated Garcia and moved Johnson to second. Shifty baserunning by the Red Raiders culminated in one more run reaching home plate before inning’s end. TTU 5, PSU 1
B4 | Brunson drew a leadoff walk for the Blue & White and stole second, leaving first base open for Gordon to step up to the plate and draw a walk. A sac bunt by Poletti moved both runners 60 feet further, and after a groundout in the next at-bat, Barbanente stepped up to the dish and sent a single through the right side to bring both Nittany Lions in. TTU 5, PSU 3
B5 | With one out on the board, Klosowicz got the Nittany Lions going with a single up the middle. An emphatic swing on the first pitch of Chamberlin’s at-bat saw the first-year standout leave the ballpark for the first time, mustering her first collegiate hit, homer, RBI and run scored on a play that tied the game for the Nittany Lions. PSU 5, TTU 5
B6 | With one away in the bottom of the sixth, Nelson sparked the Penn State offense with a single up the middle that was promptly followed by a walk from Barbanente. After a Red Raider pitching change, Ricks belted a double to left field that plated both PSU baserunners and gave the Nittany Lions the lead for the first time. A wild pitch moved Ricks to third, and a fielding error on a slap attempt from Walters brought Ricks in for the unearned tally. Another out was followed by a single from Chamberlin, and a hit by Brunson brought Walters in to close the book on the four-run sixth. PSU 9, TTU 5
T7 | Penn State’s defense worked an out on the board with a runner on first, but a single by German placed runners on the right side of the infield. A single through the left side by Canady brought one run in, and a single by Toney juiced the bases for Texas Tech. Pinch hitter Lauren Allred delivered a two-RBI knock through the right side, and Jennings sent a two-RBI single toward the first baseman to close the book on Texas Tech’s five-run comeback in the visitor’s half of the seventh. TTU 10, PSU 9
UP NEXT
Penn State softball continues its weekend stay in the Sunshine State for day two of the 2025 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, as the Nittany Lions get set for another twin bill at the Eddie C. Moore Complex on Saturday, February 8. The Blue & White get the day started against the Kennesaw State Owls at 3 p.m. (ET), and conclude the evening’s action with a 6 p.m. (ET) start against the No. 24 Mississippi State Bulldogs. Both games will stream live at no cost via the GameChanger app, with live stats available via links on the Penn State softball schedule webpage.
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