Penn State softball (10-3) took care of business in Virginia over the weekend and swept Delaware, Norfolk State, and Hampton. Pitchers Kylee Lingenfelter and Bailey Parshall led the way after record performances from each.

The Nittany Lions were supposed to have two games on Friday, however, they were canceled due to the weather. This led to the rescheduling of Sunday’s game against Hampton, and the outright cancellation of their matchup with George Washington.

Game One vs. Delaware

The first Saturday game saw the Nittany Lions take on Delaware, and they absolutely dominated play. The offense was firing on all cylinders, and Parshall was electric in the circle as always. Penn State won game one 11-1 in six innings over the Blue Hens.

Parshall struck out six batters and only gave up three hits throughout the course of the shortened game. The only run she gave up was an unearned run, and she gave up one walk as well.

The story of the day was the offense, however. Kaitlyn Morrison had a fantastic game, driving in three runs and totaling three hits, too. She and Michelle Leone both hit doubles, and Maggie Finnegan and Lexie Black each knocked a triple on top of that. Melody Coombs also tallied three hits, making for an impressive opening day for Penn State.

Game Two vs. Norfolk State

If game one was all about the offense, game two was all about pitching. Despite Norfolk State taking an early lead in the first inning, Penn State easily won 8-1.

Lingenfelter deserves a Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor after her record-breaking performance Saturday evening. She pitched a complete game, striking out a program-record 17 batters. For context, in a seven-inning game, there are only 21 outs. That means that Lingenfelter did not account for only four outs in the entire game.

The offense came up clutch in support of Lingenfelter. Lydia Coleman had a big game and hit two doubles and drove in two runs. Kathryn Rex also drove in two runs, and Lauren Marcotte, Morgan Farrah, Morrison, and Finnegan also knocked in runs.

Game Three vs. Hampton

The final game against Hampton took place on Sunday morning, and it was more of the same as the previous two games. The performances in the circle were phenomenal, and the bats remained on fire for the entire weekend. The Nittany Lions handily won 8-1.

Parshall took to the circle in the weekend finale and delivered another classic performance. She struck out seven batters, and only gave up one hit and one run. The defense let her down a little bit, committing three errors, but overall it was still a strong outing.

The key hitters from Saturday kept performing well on Sunday. Coleman had three RBIs and a triple, while Rex drove in two runs with a two-run blast. Coombs and Black each had doubles, while Morrison led the way with three hits and an RBI.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will head to Tampa, Florida, to participate in the USF Tournament from March 9 to 11. They will play Florida Gulf Coast, University of South Florida, St. Francis, and Marist over the three-day tournament.