Penn State softball (22-13, 4-2 Big Ten) took down the Purdue Boilermakers (18-19, 1-4 Big Ten) in three straight games this weekend at Beard Field.

Led by the bats of Ally Kurland and Cassie Lindmark, the Nittany Lions took advantage of several Purdue collapses and outscored the Boilermakers 26-5.

Game One

Bailey Parshall started in the circle for the 17th time this season and had another good game for Penn State. She pitched all seven innings, allowing just one run and four hits in her 13th win of the season.

Penn State’s bats didn’t take long to heat up against Purdue, as Ally Kurland hit a bullet that bounced off the center field wall in the bottom of the first. She sent herself and Lindmark, who had previously been walked, to home plate for a 2-0 lead.

However, Purdue responded quickly, as Alex Echazarreta hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the second, the Nittany Lions lengthened their lead, as Cassie hit an RBI single to send Mel Coombs home and give Penn State a 3-1 lead.

Coombs run would hold Penn State’s lead at two runs until the bottom of the sixth, until Liana Jones hit a solo home run that banked off of the scoreboard to give Penn State its 4-1 lead. Coombs followed with what looked to be another home run immediately after, but came less than a foot short of clearing the wall. After Lindmark took her third walk of the game, Kurland hit her second home run of the day to make the score 7-1 for the Nittany Lions.

Decent pitching and great fielding from the Nittany Lions closed out their first game with a comfortable win.

Game Two

Kylee Lingenfelter started the game for Penn State, and threw her first seven inning game since a February 18th matchup against Cleveland State. While only throwing one strikeout, Lingenfelter only allowed one run and four hits from Purdue, thanks to some help from her outfield.

Purdue started off hot in the top of the first inning, as some poor fielding allowed Purdue to advance on some close calls near second and first base. Kiara Dillon scored on the third at bat of the game to give Purdue a quick 1-0 lead. Penn State responded well, as a hit from Lexie Black that bounced off the center field wall saw her reach second and Kurland reach home to tie the game.

Penn State took its first lead of the game when Lindmark hit a solo home run in the third inning. That score would hold until the fifth inning, when a few stolen bases got Claire Swedberg and Maggie Finnegan to scoring position. After a short hit by Lauren Marcotte, Finnegan advanced home to make the score 3-1.

Penn State kept swinging in the bottom of the sixth, when a hit from Liana Jones ricocheted off Purdue’s third baseman, sending Lydia Coleman home. Another hit from Lilia Crothamel got Jones to home plate to give Penn State, and a double that snuck through Purdue’s defense sent Crothamel home. Penn State couldn’t stop scoring, as a double from Kurland sent two more runners home to make the score 8-1. Despite being just one run away from forcing a mercy rule against the Boilermakers, Marcotte and Lexie Black both failed to get Kurland around the bases.

It wouldn’t matter, however, as Purdue’s next three batters would all fail to see first base. The Nittany Lions closed out the second game of their doubleheader with another comfortable margin and an 8-1 victory.

Game Three

Bailey Parshall got another start in the circle for the Nittany Lions and had rough performance over four innings, giving up three runs and five hits.

The Boilermakers came out swinging in the first inning, getting a hit followed by a home run to make the game 2-0. Penn State, however, took its time to get on the board. The Nittany Lions’ first runs came on their first hit in the third inning, when Lindmark sent herself and Finnegan around the bases on a home run. One pitch later, Ally Kurland gave Penn State the lead as she hit solo home run.

Purdue responded in the fourth inning, as Jade Moy hit a sacrifice fly to send Alex Echazarreta home and tie the game. Vanessa Oatley stepped into the circle for the Nittany Lions in the fifth inning, and put herself into a tight situation early on. After a two walks and a hit, Oatley found herself with the bases loaded late in the fifth, but avoided any scores with a flyout to Coombs.

Penn State retook its lead in the fifth inning as Lauren Marcotte hit a single to get Lindmark home, making the score 4-3 for the Nittany Lions. After an error from Purdue let Lexie Black get to first base, Penn State had the perfect opportunity to score with the bases loaded and just one out. Michelle Leone took advantage, hitting a double to score two runners and put herself and Black in scoring position with Penn State up 6-3. A double from Liana Jones scored Black, while another Purdue pitching error sent Lydia Coleman home. A two walks gave Penn State the bases loaded and another run.

A sacrifice fly from Lindmark sent Coombs home, and a single from Marcotte gave Penn State the run it needed for an 11-3 mercy rule win.

Takeaways

• Kylee Lingenfelter’s success is huge for Penn State. After a rough start to the season, Lingenfelter is getting into a better run in the circle. For a team that has largely relied on Bailey Parshall for wins, having a second solid pitcher in the circle is huge.
• Don’t doubt the one-two punch of Cassie Lindmark and Ally Kurland. The duo combined for 13 RBIs across the three games, pivotal the the Nittany Lions success on offense.
• Penn State scores in bunches. The Nittany Lions won their games off of late game efforts on offense and poor defense from their opponents. It seems that Clarisa Crowell have found their secret to success, at least against lower competition.

What’s Next

Penn State goes on the road for a doubleheader at Ohio State Tuesday afternoon. The first game will start at 3:30 p.m., while the second will start at 5 p.m.