Penn State softball (19-13, 1-2 Big Ten) beat Bucknell (4-23, 1-2 Patriot League) 5-1 at Nittany Lion Softball Park Tuesday night.

Outfielder Lilia Crouthamel played hero in this one, as her grand slam in the fourth inning was the difference maker that helped the Nittany Lions secure the victory.

With the win, Clarisa Crowell’s squad snaps its brief two-game losing streak it suffered at the hands of Maryland this past weekend.

How It Happened

The game started off as a strong pitcher’s duel between both teams, as the score was tied at zero through three innings. Finally, the fourth inning brought some more action to the game.

In the top half of the inning, Penn State pitcher Kylee Lingenfelter took a line drive to the knee that allowed a runner to advance all the way to second base. Lingenfelter left the game, and this prompted Vanessa Oatley to enter the circle. She quickly got the Nittany Lions out of the inning.

This appeared to light a fire under Penn State, as Kaitlyn Morrison drove in a run on a single to make it a 1-0 game. Soon after, the bases were loaded. The score went up to a much more comfortable 5-0 when Lilia Crouthamel hit her first career grand slam to deep right-center field.

DING BOMB!!! @LiliaCrouthamel #WeAre pic.twitter.com/icQ05b4Vqz

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) March 29, 2022

Bucknell threatened in the top of the fifth, scoring one, but Penn State fired back and loaded the bases once again. Crouthamel came to the plate for the second time with the bases full, but she went down on strikes to keep the score at 5-1.

Going into the sixth, Bailey Parshall made her appearance in the circle. While she got off to a more wild start with a hit and a walk, she was able to zone in and keep the Bisons from scoring any runs.

Bucknell attempted to make a comeback in the top of the seventh but was unsuccessful, as Penn State earned the 5-1 win.

Takeaways

• The bullpen was able to show off its strength with Bailey Parshall, Kylee Lingenfelter, and Vanessa Oatley all taking to the mound. All three pitchers were able to work together, limit the damage, and get the combined win.
• On the offensive side, Penn State was finally able to have its breakthrough inning at the plate. After a tough weekend against the Terps, it’s certainly an encouraging sign to see the Nittany Lions’ bats come alive.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will be back at home once again for a three-game series against Purdue starting Friday, April 1. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.