Penn State (22-29, 8-12 Big Ten) took its third Big Ten series win of the season after defeating Maryland in two of three games over the weekend.

The Terrapins (10-35-1, 3-15 Big Ten) couldn’t control Penn State’s bats with the exception of their lone win where they held the Nittany Lions to just one run and two hits over the course of the 11-inning clash.

How It Happened

Game One

The Nittany Lions cruised past Maryland in the opener behind a productive day from the offense. Shelby Miller tallied a team-high four RBIs while Kristina Brackpool led with three hits for three RBIs. Tori Dubois knocked a two-run shot over the left field wall for her sixth home run of the season to help Penn State break into double figures for just the fourth time this season.

HOME RUN! @tdubois13 blasts her 6⃣th homer of the 2017 season to give #PennStateSB the 9-3 lead!https://t.co/U0YhQgD12p

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 28, 2017

Senior ace Marlaina Laubach pitched a complete game, giving up just three runs off of Maryland’s eight hits to preserve the 10-3 win.

Game Two

Penn State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning after Miller knocked in Dubois from third on a sac fly. That’s all the team’s offense could muster, however, putting up just two hits on the board.

After pitching a complete game shutout last weekend against Rutgers, Jessica Cummings had another solid day in the circle for the Nittany Lions. The junior conceded a run in the fifth inning on a Kristina Dillard solo home run. Cummings kept the Terrapins off the board well into extra innings, but without much help from the team’s bats, she couldn’t hold on past the 11th inning where Maryland won 2-1 on a single from Anna Kufta.

Game Three

After a strong performance midweek against Saint Francis, Madison Shaffer got another start for the Nittany Lions, but only lasted into the third as Maryland took a 4-0 lead.

After Laubach came on in relief and got Penn State out of the inning, the comeback began with Brackpool’s bases-clearing double to bring in three runs before Delaney Elling helped score Brackpool to tie it 4-4 in the fourth. The Nittany Lions used another strong inning in the sixth to score three more runs off three hits and take the lead.

With one swing of the bat #WeAre right back in it! @Kristinaa_Bee brings in three on a no out double!https://t.co/IThuD1oz93

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 30, 2017

A strong pitching performance down the stretch from Laubach and a save in the seventh from Cummings helped close out Maryland 7-5 to give Penn State the series win.

Player Of The Series

Kristina Brackpool | First Base | Senior

Brackpool played a huge role in Penn State’s runaway victory on Friday — going 3-4 for three RBIs — and started the comeback on Sunday when she stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and laced a double for another three RBIs.

What’s Next

Penn State returns to the Nittany Lion Softball Park for the final time this season when it hosts No. 4 Minnesota. All three games in the series will be available via a free live stream on GoPSUnow.