Penn State (17-14, 6-0 Big Ten) traveled to Columbus on Wednesday to take on No. 24 Ohio State. The Buckeyes (19-8, 4-1 Big Ten) came into the doubleheader looking to slow down the Nittany Lions, who are off to their best Big Ten start ever. Ohio State was able to win both games, which were polar opposites of each other in terms of how they played out.

How It Happened

Originally slated for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the first pitch of the doubleheader was thrown at 10 a.m. due to weather concerns. Ohio State came out more prepared for the early start, putting up two runs on the board in the first inning. Marlaina Laubach settled in after that inning, only allowing three more hits and one more run through the rest of the game.

Ohio State also had a great deal of success from the pitching circle. Shelby Hursh cruised through the Penn State lineup that hasn’t had less than nine hits in a game since the start of the Big Ten season. Hursh threw a no-hitter on the way to a 3-0 Ohio State win.

After getting no-hit in game one of the doubleheader, Penn State came out strong for the second game. The Nittany Lions led in the second inning after Kristina Brackpool hit a three-run home run for Penn State’s first runs of the day. The lead was short-lived, however. Ohio State had a monstrous second inning that saw the Buckeyes put six runs on the board. The slug fest continued with Penn State retaking the lead 7-6 in the third off of a double from Erin Pond with the bases loaded.

Penn State tacked on a run in the top of the fourth before Ohio State hit a two-run home run to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. The Buckeyes retook the lead in the fifth off of a couple hits that knocked in a pair of runs. The game went into an hour-long weather delay in the sixth. After the delay, Ohio State put two more runs on the board to lead 12-8. Down four runs, Penn State tried to rally with two outs. Hits from Toni Polk and Kristina Brackpool brought Penn State within two, but Ohio State held on to win 12-10.

Player Of The Game

Shelby Hursh | Junior | Pitcher

Hursh shut down a Penn State lineup that has wrecked opponents since the beginning of the Big Ten season. She threw a no-hitter against a team that went on to score 10 runs just hours later. The performance was especially needed since her Penn State counterpart, Marlaina Laubach, didn’t have a particularly bad game either.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions will move on to a weekend series matchup against Indiana in Bloomington. The series commences on Friday at 6 p.m.