Penn State softball (3-18) got off to a rough start in the opening weeks of the year before finally making its home debut in 2018 against Kent State. The Nittany Lions won just one game of their first 18 games heading into the weekend, but used a pair of do-or-die comebacks on Sunday to notch the team’s first winning streak and series win of the season against the Golden Flashes (12-9).

How It Happened

Game One

Penn State got off to the worst possible start in its home opener Saturday afternoon — giving up five runs off four hits in the top half of the first inning. The Nittany Lions cut the deficit to 5-3 thanks to a three-run home run from Paige Johnson and starting pitcher Jessica Cummings settled in the rest of the way — conceding just one more run in her complete game.

The Penn State bats just couldn’t fully reel in the Golden Flashes. First team All-Big Ten star Tori Dubois tacked on a pair of RBIs after singling up the middle with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, but Kent State retired the next four batters to hand the Nittany Lions their 11th straight loss, 6-5.

Game Two

Due to a weather-forced scheduling change, Saturday ended up being a doubleheader. Junior Madison Shaffer got the start in the circle and launched a pitchers’ duel with Kent State’s Brenna Brownfield for the first three innings. The Golden Flashes finally got on the board with two runs off two hits in the top of the fourth, but the Nittany Lions broke this game wide open in the bottom half of the inning — scoring five runs off five hits, highlighted by a Delaney Elling two-run homer.

After Penn State scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, Kent State tightened the game in the sixth inning with two runs off four hits. Cummings came on to pitch for Shaffer, striking out the final batter in the sixth and conceding just one more run in the seventh to close out the game and give Shaffer her first win of the year, 6-5.

Game Three

The series wrapped up Sunday with a wild extra innings battle. The Golden Flashes rocked the Penn State pitching duo of Shaffer and Cummings, seemingly burying the Nittany Lions with an 8-4 lead heading into the seventh.

After the first two runners got on base, junior Toni Polk closed the gap with a three-run homer. Penn State made it interesting by loading the bases with two outs for Elling. She couldn’t get a hit, but before she grounded out, the Nittany Lions tied the game on a wild pitch. Kent State took control once again in extra innings, scoring two runs in the top of the eighth. Yet once again, the Nittany Lions came back as Destiny Weber singled with the bases loaded.

Cummings stranded two Kent State runners in the top half of the ninth and the Nittany Lions were finally ready to finish the game. Dani Fey doubled to lead off the inning, then Dubois singled to score the freshman for a walk-off win, 11-10.

Player of the Series

Toni Polk | Center Field | Junior

Polk was crucial in securing the series-clinching win on Sunday — going 3-4 for four RBIs, three of which came off that home run to kickstart the late rally.

What’s Next

Penn State faces mid-major power Hofstra (14-7) on Wednesday at the Nittany Lion Softball Park. The doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. and can be seen live on GoPSUSports.com.