Penn State (19-17, 8-3 Big Ten) wrapped up its series against Indiana over the weekend. The Hoosiers (22-16, 5-6 Big Ten) tried to rebound from the crushing defeat against the Nittany Lions on Friday. Penn State managed to hold off Indiana on Saturday, but was run-ruled in the final game of the series on Sunday.

How It Happened

The Penn State sluggers picked up where they left off in the first game to get the second game started, but had trouble in the early going from the pitching circle. Led by RBIs from Alyssa VanDerveer and Erin Pond, Penn State put two runs on the board in the first inning. Katelyn Conenna answered back for the Hoosiers with a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning. Reina Furuya tied the game with a solo home run before the Nittany Lions tacked on another run in the second.

Penn State started to run away with the game in the fourth inning. The team scored in each of the final four innings, including a four-run inning in the fifth. VanDerveer, Pond, and Shannon Good led the way for the team, tallying eight of its eighteen hits and nine of its fifteen RBIs. Indiana did manage to put up a couple more runs, but was no match for the Nittany Lions who would go on to win 15-7.

The final game on Sunday began just as the previous two had with Penn State’s offense getting hot in the early going. A couple of early hits set up VanDerveer and Lexi Knief with runners on base. Both singled to give the Nittany Lions a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Those would be the last runs of the game for Penn State.

Indiana tied the game in the second inning off of a throwing error and a ground out to move the runners on base. Pitchers Marlaina Laubach of Penn State and Emily Kirk of Indiana both managed to keep the opposing teams in check for good portions of the game, but Indiana finally found its groove in the fifth inning, putting up four runs.

Madison Seifert replaced Laubach in the sixth, but could not shut down Indiana’s batters. She managed to get one out in the tough situation she was put into before Indiana hit a walk off three-run home run to put the mercy rule into place. The Hoosiers finished the game early, winning 11-2.

Player Of The Series

Alyssa VanDerveer | Sophomore | Catcher

VanDerveer had a solid series, knocking in runs in each of the three games and tallying eight RBIs. Sitting in the clean up spot of the order, she is expected to come through with big hits and did that against the Hoosiers.

What’s Next

Penn State will return to the Nittany Lion Softball Park on Wednesday for a doubleheader with Bucknell. The first game will start at 5 p.m. and the second will immediately follow.