COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Driven by four home runs by four student-athletes and a lights-out performance in the circle, the 11th-seeded Penn State softball team dispatched with the sixth-seeded Northwestern Wildcats in an 11-5 thriller from Maryland Softball Stadium in the opening round of the 2026 Big Ten Softball Tournament presented by Allstate.
The win marked Penn State’s first victory over Northwestern in 15 years, ending a streak that began following a doubleheader sweep of the Wildcats on May 13, 2011, a pair of games in Happy Valley that PSU took by 6-3 and 3-2 margins. PSU improved to 33-20 overall on the 2026 campaign, cementing the ninth-most wins in a single season in program history. The Blue & White secured their 17th win in the Big Ten Tournament in school history and advanced to the quarterfinals of the event for the fourth time in the last five season. PSU will return to action this Thursday, May 7, for a matchup against the sixth-ranked and third-seeded UCLA Bruins in College Park. In defeat, Northwestern’s 2026 season came to a close with a 29-21 overall record.
Freshman left fielder Breanna Hanik and senior center fielder Natalie Lieto were PSU’s heroes in the opening round victory, with the Oak Lawn, Illinois, native Hanik turning in a 3-for-5 performance with three runs scored, three RBI and a home run to her credit. The rookie sensation tied for the ninth-most runs in a single game in program history, accomplishing that feat for the 13th time by a Penn Stater this season. Lieto, a native of Monroe, Connecticut, was an unblemished 3-for-3 at the dish with a run scored, three RBI and a home run to her credit. Hanik and Lieto are both up to 12 home runs on the year, remaining tied for third on the Nittany Lion roster in the statistic.
Elsewhere in the batting order, freshman first baseman Gabby Gradishar turned in an individual masterpiece of her own, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two RBI, a home run, walk drawn, and hit-by-pitch comprising her all-around elite evening of work offensively. Senior catcher Madison Seidel rounded out the quartet of Penn Staters with home runs on the night, cranking a two-run bomb in the top of the sixth inning that helped ice the game for the Blue & White. In total, PSU amassed 11 runs on 12 hits, including five extra-base knocks in the form of four home runs and a double.
In the circle, PSU called on sophomore right-hander Abigail Britton to muster her 13th start and 32nd appearance of the season. The LaVale, Maryland, native tallied 1.0 innings of work in her return to her home state before passing the torch to rookie southpaw Brevyn Kellepouris in the second. The Olathe, Kansas, native went the next 3.0 innings allowing just four hits, an earned run and a walk with three strikeouts. Kellepouris earned credit for the pitching victory on the night, improving to 5-3 individually on the year. Junior right-hander McKenna Young entered for the remaining 3.0 innings and was lights-out, scattering four hits while keeping the scoreboard clean throughout. The Brodhead, Wisconsin, native Young surrendered one walk against four strikeouts, earning credit for her first save of 2026 in addition to the third save by a Nittany Lion pitcher this year. Behind the trio of pitchers, Penn State played a flawless defensive game, having zero errors in a game for the 20th time this year and improving to 14-6 when accomplishing that feat.
Northwestern made a statement to start Wednesday night’s action in College Park, racking up a quick 3-0 advantage on a three-run bomb in the home half of the first. A solo homer in the second gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the night at 4-0, but the Blue & White were unconcerned with the early deficit. Gradishar worked the count full to lead off the top of the third just before smacking a single through the left side of the infield. Back-to-back strikeouts flashed on the board, but Hanik sparked a two-out scoring opportunity with an absolute no-doubter of a bomb over the wall in left field to give the Nittany Lions life in the ballgame. Kellepouris staved the Wildcats off in the home half of the inning, and PSU continued to battle as the game entered the fourth frame. George led off the top half of the inning for the Blue & White, sending a single down the third base line to keep the momentum rolling for PSU. A strikeout and a liner put two outs on the board, but just like the top of the third, Penn State remained undeterred. Gradishar stepped up to the plate and tied the game up at four apiece with a two-run opposite field shot to right in a 2-2 count.
Northwestern briefly retook the lead as the game ventured into the bottom of the fourth, with the Wildcats tallying on an RBI groundout. In the fifth, an out popped on the board just before Hanik powered a single through the left side of the infield. A strikeout put two down, but Lieto crushed a go-ahead two-out, two-run home run over the fence in dead center to give Penn State its first lead of the night. Young entered the game in the bottom half of the inning and shut the Wildcats down, setting the table for PSU to break the game open in the sixth.
Barbanente led the visitor’s half of the sixth off with a single, and Seidel made it four-straight innings with a two-run homer for the Blue & White, crushing a no-doubter to center. A Wildcat pitching change followed, but Gradishar drew a walk moments later, with Karwowski entering to run for her at first. Walters reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Karwowski put out at second. Oneacre drew a hit-by-pitch to make it runners on the right side, and Hanik recorded an RBI single that brought Walters aboard. An NU fielding error loaded the bases moments later, and an RBI single from Lieto brought Oneacre in. A strikeout put two down, but a bases-loaded walk from Barbanente closed out a five-run frame for PSU. The Nittany Lions battled against four batters in the sixth and five in the seventh, but the Blue & White were able to hold on for the stunning 11-5 victory.
TOP NITTANY LION PERFORMERS
Breanna Hanik | 3-for-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, SB
Natalie Lieto | 3-for-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB
McKenna Young | 3.0IP, 4H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 4K, 13BF, 64TP, SAVE
KEY INNINGS
B1 | Gracie Nieto worked a 10-pitch at-bat and drew a walk to lead off the home half of the first for Northwestern, but a strikeout moments later put one away. A second out popped onto the board in the form of a fly ball to left, but a stolen base in the next at-bat moved a runner into scoring position. Kansas Robinson walked on four pitchers, and a wild offering saw a pair of Wildcats move to the left side of the basepath. From there, Bridget Donahey worked the count full before sending the seventh pitch of her AB over the wall in right-center to put Northwestern up by three. NU 3, PSU 0
B2 | Izzy Cunnea led off the home half of the second with a seven-pitch at-bat, sending her seventh offering over the wall in left for a solo homer. NU 4, PSU 0
T3 | Gradishar worked the count full to lead off the top of the third just before smacking a single through the left side of the infield. Back-to-back strikeouts flashed on the board, but Hanik sparked a two-out scoring opportunity with an absolute no-doubter of a bomb over the wall in left field to give the Nittany Lions life in the ballgame. NU 4, PSU 2
T4 | George led off the top of the fourth for the Blue & White, sending a single down the third base line to keep the momentum rolling for PSU. A strikeout and a liner put two outs on the board, but just like the top of the third, Penn State remained undeterred. Gradishar stepped up to the plate and tied the game up at four apiece with a two-run opposite field shot to right in a 2-2 count. PSU 4, NU 4
B4 | With one away, Tru Medina doubled to left-center, and Nieto recorded an infield single to make it first-and-third with one out. From there, Kaylie Avvisato recorded an RBI groundout to give the Wildcats a one-run advantage. NU 5, PSU 4
T5 | An out popped on the board just before Hanik powered a single through the left side of the infield. A strikeout put two down, but Lieto crushed a go-ahead two-out, two-run home run over the fence in dead center to give Penn State its first lead of the night. PSU 6, NU 5
T6 | Barbanente led the visitor’s half of the sixth off with a single, and Seidel made it four-straight innings with a two-run homer for the Blue & White, crushing a no-doubter to center. A Wildcat pitching change followed, but Gradishar drew a walk moments later, with Karwowski entering to run for her at first. Walters reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Karwowski put out at second. Oneacre drew a hit-by-pitch to make it runners on the right side, and Hanik recorded an RBI single that brought Walters aboard. An NU fielding error loaded the bases moments later, and an RBI single from Lieto brought Oneacre in. A strikeout put two down, but a bases-loaded walk from Barbanente closed out a five-run frame for PSU. PSU 11, NU 5
UP NEXT
Eleventh-seeded Penn State softball continues its stay in College Park and will prepare for quarterfinal action at the Big Ten Softball Tournament presented by Allstate on Thursday, May 7. The Nittany Lions will square off in a 7 p.m. (ET) matchup against the sixth-ranked and third-seeded UCLA Bruins from the Maryland Softball Stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland. Action will air to a national television audience via the Big Ten Network and FOX Sports 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.