UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Powered by a pair of home runs apiece from junior designated player Jordan George and freshman outfielder Breanna Hanik, the Penn State softball team bashed its way to a resounding 14-8 win over the Wisconsin Badgers to level the Big Ten Conference weekend series from Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field on Saturday afternoon.
Penn State’s pair of standout power hitters etched their names in program history in the middle game of the weekend set, becoming the first pair of teammates to record multiple-home run outings at PSU, according to available records. George was a breakout star in her first start of the 2026 campaign, logging the 23rd multiple-home run performance in program history in addition to hitting the first pair of home runs in her career as a Nittany Lion. The New Albany, Ohio, native appeared as a starter in the Nittany Lion batting order for just the second time since transferring to PSU in 2025, finishing the day with a 3-for-3 final line that included individual career-best measures in hits, runs scored (two), RBI (five) and homers (two). George also mustered the second instance of a five-RBI game at Penn State this year, matching junior teammate Brooke Klosowicz’ effort against Oregon on March 15.
Hanik, meanwhile, turned in a breakout performance of her own, finishing the day with a 3-for-3 final line including four runs scored, three RBI and a pair of long balls comprising her appearance on the box score. The Oak Lawn, Illinois, native recorded the 24th multi-homer outing in Penn State history shortly after George completed the 23rd, with the rookie outfielder also booking career-bests in hits (three), home runs (two) and runs scored (four). Hanik’s four runs scored on Saturday also matches the Penn State single-game program record in the category, making her the ninth woman in program history to accomplish that feat.
Elsewhere in the final box score, three more Nittany Lions turned in multiple-hit outings in game two against the Badgers, with Klosowicz leading the group with a 3-for-4 day at the dish that included an RBI, walk drawn and a trio of singles. Freshman infielder Allison Oneacre booked a 2-for-4 performance at the plate that included a double, RBI, run scored and walk drawn in her eighth multi-hit outing of the year. Senior catcher Madison Seidel rounded out the dominant day at the plate for Penn State, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI to her credit.
In the circle, Penn State called on junior right-hander Bridget Nemeth to make the start in her first appearance at Nittany Lion Softball Park & Beard Field since the 2024 NCAA Regional campaign. The Glendora, California, native was in vintage form through her 3.1 innings of effort, scattering five hits with just three earned runs allowed while striking out four Badgers and surrendering zero walks. Junior right-hander McKenna Young entered in the top of the fourth and earned credit for the win as PSU’s most effective reliever on the day. Young improved to 6-2 overall on the year and continues to lead the Blue & White in overall victories through this point in the season. PSU also saw relief outings from freshman left-hander Brevyn Kellepouris, as well as sophomore righty Abigail Britton in the victory.
Wisconsin got the scoring started in the top of the first inning, but PSU immediately broke the game open with a six-run reply in the home half of the frame to take a 6-1 lead into the second. George highlighted Penn State’s performance in the bottom of the first with her first collegiate grand slam in addition to her first home run since transferring to Penn State ahead of the 2025 season. A pair of swinging strikeouts from Nemeth set the table for a one-two-three inning in the top of the second, and Penn State managed to make it a 7-1 ballgame with an RBI grounder.
In the bottom of the third, miscues from the Wisconsin pitching staff and an erroneously fielded bunt attempt cost the Badgers a trio of tallies in the bottom of the third inning, with Penn State boasting a 10-1 advantage heading into the fourth. The Badgers mustered a response in the top of the fourth to stave off the run-rule, adding four scores to make it 10-5 in Penn State’s favor. The Nittany Lions tacked on a solo shot from Hanik in the fifth to balloon the lead back to six, but Wisconsin made things interesting with a three-run top of the sixth to pull back within three. Penn State managed to put things away offensively with a solo homer from George and a two-run blast from Hanik in the bottom of the sixth, closing out the scoring in a high-octane 14-8 affair.
Following its 30th outing of the 2026 season, Penn State picked up its 20th win and improved to 20-10 overall with a 1-4 record against Big Ten Conference competitors after securing its first league victory against the Badgers on Saturday. Wisconsin dropped to 15-11 overall and 1-4 in B1G play, with one game remaining in the conference set on Sunday in Happy Valley. In the all-time series between the two sides, PSU picked up its 33rd win in the 61st meeting since 1996, now leading the series by a 33-28 margin heading into Sunday’s rubber match.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS
Jordan George | 3-for-3, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR
Breanna Hanik | 3-for-3, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR
Brooke Klosowicz | 3-for-4, RBI, BB, 3 1B
KEY INNINGS
T1 | Emily Bojan worked a 2-2 count and sent a leadoff double off the wall in left-center to book the first baserunner of the day for the Badgers. Back-to-back flyouts put two outs on the board, but a fielding error on a routine infield popup saw a Wisconsin run come across before the end of the inning. WISC 1, PSU 0
B1 | Barbanente led off the home half of the first inning by reaching first on a throwing error by the Badger shortstop. Wisconsin fielded a sac bunt attempt from Hanik and attempted to get the lead runner out, but both players remained safe on the right side of the infield. Klosowicz stepped up next and sent an RBI single to left center that brought Barbanente home unearned while Hanik moved to second. Oneacre stepped into the box and tattooed a double to the right-center gap that brought one run in while a Nittany Lion was thrown out at home on the ensuing throw. With one down and a runner on second, Lieto drew a walk to place runners on the right side. Nemeth entered the batting order and singled to shallow center to load the bases. Flesher re-entered to run for Nemeth at first base, and George stepped into the batter’s box with the bases full of Nittany Lions. George saw the first four pitches of the at-bat and worked a 3-1 count before blasting her first home run as a Nittany Lion to dead center for a grand slam. PSU 6, WISC 1
B2 | Barbanente drew a leadoff walk but was caught stealing during the ensuing at-bat. Hanik stepped up to the plate and put some English on the softball to notch a single, and back-to-back base hits from Klosowicz and Oneacre saw the bases juiced once again. Lieto put an RBI groundout in play to bring Hanik home to extend the lead to six. PSU 7, WISC 1
B3 | George led the home half of the third off with a single through the left side of the infield, and Karwowski entered to run for her at first base. Seidel sent a single to right-center that saw Karwowski advance 120 feet over to third. A wild pitch plated Karwowski while Seidel moved over to second, and a groundout bumped Seidel 60 feet further. Barbanente kept the inning alive with a four-pitch walk, and Hanik laid a bunt down that caused havoc for the Badger infield, with the Nittany Lion able to advance to third while Barbanente and Seidel were able to come around. PSU 10, WISC 1
T4 | With a groundout on the scoreboard, Danielle Lucey doubled to left center, and Makenzie Foster sent a triple down the right field line to bring a second run across. Jackie Showalter recorded a single on the first pitch of her at-bat to plate Foster, and PSU underwent a pitching change while Emma King came in to pinch run for Showalter at first. Kaylie Whidden drew a walk to put runners on the right side, and Rylie Crane entered to pinch run at first base. A groundout advanced both runners, and a two-RBI single to left from Bojan made it a five-run game. PSU 10, WISC 5
B5 | With one out on the board, Hanik laced a solo home run just over the fence in left field to the right of the foul pole. PSU 11, WISC 5
T6 | Whidden drew a leadoff walk, but a flyout put one away. Bojan kept the inning alive by reaching on a PSU fielding error, placing a pair of runners on the right side. Hilary Blomberg doubled to center to plate the lead runner just before a popup put a second out on the board. From there, Alivia Bark doubled off the bag down the third base line to bring two more runs across. PSU 11, WISC 8
B6 | George stepped into the box and saw a 3-1 count before blasting her second bomb of the day over the fence in center field to make it a 12-8 ballgame. Seidel kept the party going with a double to center off the wall, but a pair of groundouts occurred in quick succession. From there, Hanik returned to the batter’s box and made it two multiple-home run performances in the same inning, lifting her second long ball of the day over the fence in center to close out Saturday’s scoring. PSU 14, WISC 8
UP NEXT
Penn State softball concludes its Big Ten Conference home-opening weekend series against the Wisconsin Badgers this Sunday, March 22, as the teams wrap up the three-game set from Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET), with the game set to stream live to a worldwide audience of authenticated subscribers via B1G+ and the B1G+ app on connected devices.
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.
The 2026 Penn State softball season is presented by Highmark.