Penn State softball (6-23, 2-4 Big Ten) had its chances to win its first Big Ten series of the season, but dropped the first two games to Rutgers with costly late mistakes before closing out with a win on Sunday.

The Scarlet Knights (17-16, 2-2 Big Ten) won the opener 6-5 with a walk-off and came back again in game two to earn a 4-2 victory. The Nittany Lion bats were too much in the 7-3 Penn State win to prevent a Rutgers sweep.

How It Happened

Game One

Penn State got off to a fast start to the series with Tori Dubois knocking her third home run of the season for a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Rutgers spent most of the game chasing the Nittany Lions, who led from that home run in the second at-bat all the way through until the final inning of the game.

The lead for Penn State reached its peak in the fourth inning, when hits from Toni Polk, Destiny Weber, and Dani Fey drove in two runs to make it 5-2. The Scarlet Knights scored in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth inning, getting their final chance to knot the score in the bottom of the seventh.

A pair of hits from Rebecca Hall and Myah Moy to lead off the inning set up Rutgers with runners on second and third base. The Scarlet Knights tied the game on a fielder’s choice before Madison Shaffer, who came on in relief for Penn State in the fifth, loaded the bases with a walk. Shaffer appeared to have dodged the first walk-off bullet when a grounder back to her left the force out at home, but for whatever reason, she opted to get the out at first, which allowed the game-winning run to score.

BALLGAME!#RUSB erases four-run deficit and walks off over Penn State in the Big Ten home opener! pic.twitter.com/m31s10N0XG

— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) March 30, 2018

Game Two

Jessica Cummings got the start again in the circle for Penn State in game two, and worked her way into and out of jams to keep the Nittany Lions within a run through three innings. Penn State took the lead in the top of the fourth inning thanks to sophomore Kennedy Legg’s two-run home run.

The Scarlet Knights worked their way back in front in the fifth inning thanks to an RBI single and an error on a throw to third base. The damage was limited just to two runs with freshman right fielder Dani Fey throwing out a runner at home on a sacrifice fly to end the inning. Rutgers scored again on a Hailey Hoklotubbe single in the sixth to stretch the lead to 4-2.

Penn State gave itself a comeback opportunity after Gianna Arrizurieta doubled — bringing up the top of the Nittany Lions order with no outs and two runners in scoring position. Botched base running on a routine infield play killed off that chance as the Nittany Lions were doubled up before Dubois popped out to end the game.

With an incredible fielding exhibition, #RUSB prevents the RBI and completes a double play! pic.twitter.com/UMrUfmiW2m

— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) March 31, 2018

Game Three

The Nittany Lions closed out the series with an emphatic hitting effort — recording a season-high 16 hits and solo shots from Tori Dubois and Destiny Weber tallying the team’s first multi-home run game of the year. Junior center fielder Toni Polk also had a perfect 4-4 day at the plate to bolster the efforts.

Penn State pulled away in the fourth inning as hits from Dubois, Polk, and Paige Johnson drove in four runs to break the deadlock and make it 6-2.

Jessica Cummings went the distance in the circle, holding Rutgers to five hits as the Nittany Lions would go on to win 7-3.

Player of the Series

Tori Dubois | Left Field | Junior

Last year’s All-Big Ten first team honoree wasn’t the most consistent batter — finishing the weekend 3-12 — but she made the hits count. Dubois led the Nittany Lions with four RBIs and hit two home runs, bringing her season total to four.

.@Tdubois13 launches a home run over the center field wall to give #PennStateSB the 1-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/pfozHKB1dG

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 1, 2018

What’s Next

Penn State hosts Pitt at the Nittany Lion Softball Park for a single game Tuesday at 6 p.m. You can see it live on LionVision.