Penn State softball (5-26) couldn’t pick up a win during its four-game series against No. 19 Michigan (28-5) this weekend at Nittany Lion Softball Park. In every aspect of the series, the Nittany Lions were outmatched and overwhelmed.

The pitching staff was roughed up all weekend long, and the offense struggled mightily. If it is going to have any success moving forward, especially against ranked opponents, Penn State can’t afford to have another weekend like this one.

Game One

The Friday game was a sign of things to come for Penn State, as it fell to Michigan 7-1.

Bailey Parshall entered the circle to kick off the series, going 6.1 innings deep into the game. She gave up seven runs on seven hits, however only two of those runs were earned. She also struck out five batters. Logan Black came on in relief for the last two outs, only giving up one hit.

There wasn’t a whole lot of offense for the Nittany Lions to be happy about. Chelsea Bisi and Michelle Leone both had singles, while Mel Coombs provided the only run on a solo home run. That kind of offense is not enough to beat a highly ranked team like Michigan.

Game Two

The first game of the Saturday doubleheader resulted in a shut out loss for the Nittany Lions, losing 10-0 in six innings.

The offense was only able to produce two hits throughout the game, both of them singles. Kennedy Legg and Melina Livingston were responsible for those hits, but the rest of the lineup was unable to contribute anything.

Kylee Lingenfelter got the start, pitching five innings and striking out six. She would give up five runs on nine hits, with three of them being earned. Black came back in for relief, giving up five runs on five hits in only one inning of work.

Game Three

The second game on Saturday ended the same way the first game did, with a loss in six innings. The Nittany Lions would fall to the Wolverines 12-2.

Vanessa Oatley got the start this time, and like the other Penn State pitchers, didn’t do so hot. She pitched almost the entire game, giving up all 12 runs on 15 hits. She was only able to strike out three batters throughout the course of the game. Lingenfelter stepped in for the last out, but it was too little too late.

Coombs was once again the main source of offense for Penn State, knocking in the only two runs on a two RBI single. Claire Swedberg, Maggie Finnegan, and Kaitlyn Morrison were also able to each get a single, but nothing was able to come from it.

Game Four

The Sunday game was the best game the Nittany Lions had, however it still ended in a 5-3 loss.

The offense was much better in this game than in the three previous. Ally Kurland had a big day, hitting a solo home run and adding another RBI later in the game. Livingston added to the scoring with an RBI double of her own, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an early start by the Wolverines.

Parshall got the start again, but she only pitched the first inning, giving up three runs on two hits and striking out one. Lingenfelter came on to pitch the rest of the game, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out no one.

Takeaways

• Going up against a top tier program like Michigan exposed all of the flaws for Penn State. The offense is inconsistent at best, nonexistent at worst, and the pitching is just not at the same level. The Nittany Lions will be looking for some sort of change going into next season, because some serious struggles have been reoccurring throughout this year.
• Clarisa Crowell has made some questionable decisions as head coach during her first year, but they tend to stem from lack of depth with pitching. It’s hard to understand why Vanessa Oatley was still pitching after she gave up 12 runs, however the Nittany Lions have no pitching depth, so their hands are forced. Hopefully as Crowell continues to recruit, she can find more pitchers to bring into the program.

What’s Next?

Penn State will travel to Bloomington next weekend to take on Indiana. The first game will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 7.