Penn State softball (9-10) had a tough conclusion to its North Carolina road trip this week, losing to No. 13 Duke (17-3) 4-2 in Durham. The loss put the Nittany Lions below .500 for the first time this season.

How It Happened

Bailey Parshall got the start in the circle for the Nittany Lions, though she did not have her best stuff. She pitched five innings, giving up all four runs while striking out just three batters. Lydia Spalding came on in relief and gave up one hit while striking out one batter in her lone inning of work.

Despite not putting up enough offense to win, Penn State put up a solid showing against Duke. Lexie Black continued raking by hitting a two-run homer in the top of the first inning. Ally Kurland also continued her hot streak with a double. Cassie Lindmark and Mel Coombs, meanwhile, contributed with singles of their own.

Takeaways

• Penn State held its ground against another ranked opponent. Yes, the Nittany Lions are 0-3 against ranked teams, but in two of those games, the difference was only two runs. In the past, they would have been consistently blown out, so it is a good sign that they are fighting and keeping the games close.
• Let’s give it up to the offense. After a season in which there was virtually zero offensive success, players are stepping up and hitting the ball. Ally Kurland and Cassie Lindmark have stepped up to be the consistent offensive workhorses, while Lexie Black has found her swing, all of which bodes well for the Nittany Lions. Other players like Lauren Marcotte and Michelle Leone are contributing, too, and that will play a big role in how well this team does in Big Ten play.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will head down to Delaware for the Delaware Invitational. They will play two games against Delaware with a game against Canisius sandwiched in between. The two games against Delaware will be available to watch for a fee on FloSoftball.