Penn State Softball Takes One Of Three In Weekend Series Against No. 22 Ohio State
Penn State softball (20-20, 6-7 Big Ten) dropped two out of three games to No. 22 Ohio State (33-10-1, 8-5 Big Ten) at home over the weekend.
The Nittany Lions put up 24 runs over the three-game series but only picked up one win throughout the weekend.
Game One
Mady Volpe started on the mound for the second straight game after only pitching two innings in Penn State’s blowout win against Saint Francis. Volpe started the game strong, retiring Hadley Parisien, Sami Bewick, and Kami Kortokrax. All three players put the ball in play, but the Penn State defense was in position to make the plays.
Lorin Boutte stepped on the mound for Ohio State, looking for her 14th win of the season. Natalie Lieto hit out of the one spot for Penn State, popping up to the shortstop for the first out. Haylie Brunson struck out on six pitches, and Brooke Klosowicz grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Volpe issued back-to-back walks to start the inning, working both batters to full counts and putting the Nittany Lions in early trouble. Kaitlyn Farley followed with a single up the middle to load the bases with no outs. Facing another full count, Volpe struck out Morgan Frye, looking, then battled to a full count once more before getting Skylar Limon swinging for a massive second out.
Taylor Cruse was hit by a pitch, plating Burns and giving the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead. Volpe again got the batter into a full count and struck out Parisien for the third out. Volpe faced five batters with full counts in the inning.
Maddie Gordon singled up the middle to get the second inning started for the Nittany Lions. Meagan Ricks fouled out, and Gordon advanced to second. Michela Barbanente struck out swinging, and Kaylie Walters walked. Gordon stole third base, putting runners on the corners, but Madison Seidel struck out swinging for the third out. Ohio State led 1-0 after two innings.
Bewick, Kortokrax, and Jasmyn Burns all walked to start the third inning. Reagan Milliken fouled out to left field, and Bewick tagged up and scored the Buckeyes’ second run of the game. Farley popped up to shortstop, and the runners couldn’t advance. Frye walked, loading the bases again with two outs. Volpe caught Limon looking on a full count, limiting the damage to one run.
In the bottom of the third, Penn State went down in order. Jenna Nelson grounded out to shortstop, and Lieto and Brunson flew out to center field. Boutte escaped the innings, throwing only seven pitches.
Jiselle Hernandez came into pitch for Volpe in the fourth inning. Cruse homered to left center to start the inning, giving the Buckeyes a three-run cushion. Parisien walked, Bewick lined out to second, and Kortokrax doubled to left field, advancing Parisien to third.
Volpe was put back into pitch after just four batters and recorded an out on a fielder’s choice. Milliken singled through the left side, scoring Parisien and advancing Burns to second. Farley stepped up to the plate and doubled to right field, scoring Burns and Milliken.
With Penn State already trying to play damage control, Frye homered to center, adding on two more insurance runs. Limon doubled to right center, but Volpe got Cruse to strike out swinging. Ohio State led 8-0 midway through four innings.
Klosowicz flew out to right field to start the bottom half of the fourth inning. Gordon singled up the middle, and Ricks flew out to left field. Barbanenete homered to left field, scoring Gordon and putting up the first runs of the game for Penn State. Walters walked on seven pitches, but Seidel grounded out to end the inning.
Lydia Splading replaced Volpe on the mound in the fifth. Parisien flied out to center field. Bewick struck out swinging, but Kortokrax walked on four pitches. Burns would put the ball in play, but the Penn State defense made the play to end the inning.
The bats were slow for both teams for the next two innings, combining for four strikeouts and only one hit.
Limon struck out looking to begin the seventh inning, followed up by a double off the bat of Cruse. Parisien singled to right field, driving in Cruse, and then Parisian stole second base.
Bewick flew out to right field, and Kortokrax popped out to first base. Ohio State led 9-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Boutte, looking for the complete game, returned to pitch the last inning. Seidel struck out swinging, but Boutte walked Jordan George, the pinch hitter for Nelson. After walking, Nelson would sub back in for George. Penn State had the top of the order up, and Lieto singled through the left side. Brunson walked on five pitches, loading the bases with one out.
A wild pitch would advance all runners, scoring Nelson. Klosowicz doubled to right center, scoring two more runs for the Nittany Lions. Holding a four-run lead, Ohio State decided to go to its bullpen, calling on Kennedy Kay to record the final two outs. Gordon struck out swinging, and Ricks popped up to first base, securing the win for the Buckeyes.
Game Two
Abigail Britton got the start in the circle for Penn State, working to follow up her strong outing last weekend. Britton quickly found herself in trouble, though, as Ohio State’s Parisien jumped on a 3-1 pitch and hit a solo home run to left center for the game’s first run.
After a strikeout from Bewick and a flyout by Kortokrax, Burns added on with a solo shot of her own to right field, making it 2-0. Britton got out of the inning with a flyout from Milliken.
The Nittany Lions answered back in the bottom half. Lieto grounded out to second on the first pitch she saw, but Brunson tied it up with a solo bomb of her own to left center.
It's gonna be one of those days
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 12, 2025
B1 | 1 OUT | OSU 2, PSU 1#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/KjAeCCYvat
Britton settled in during the second, getting Farley and Frye to fly out to center field before handling a comebacker from Limon to end a 1-2-3 inning.
Ricks was hit by a pitch to lead off the second for Penn State and stole second base shortly after. She advanced to third on a throwing error by the shortstop. Barbanente struck out swinging, and Seidel brought Ricks home with a sacrifice fly to right field, tying the game at two. Nelson grounded out to third to wrap up the frame.
In the third, the Buckeyes went down in order again. Cruse flied out to left, Parisien lined out to first, and Bewick popped out in foul territory at third.
Penn State broke things wide open in the bottom of the third. Walters laid down a perfect bunt single to start the rally, and Lieto grounded out to move her to second. Brunson walked, and Klosowicz reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Gordon followed with an RBI single to left field to give Penn State its first lead. After a pitching change, Ricks turned on the first pitch and sent it over the wall in right for a grand slam, scoring four and putting Penn State up 7-2.
Barbanente popped out, and Seidel walked but was left on base after advancing on a passed ball. Nelson struck out looking to end the inning.
Britton cruised through the fourth, getting Kortokrax to pop up to third and Burns to ground out before Milliken singled to left. Farley struck out to end the inning, Britton’s second strikeout of the day.
In the bottom half, Walters roped a double into left center, but Lieto flied out to right. Brunson hit a soft grounder that forced Walters out at third, and Klosowicz stepped up and crushed a three-run homer to make it 10-2.
HOME RUN NUMBER
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 12, 2025ON THE SEASON FOR BROOKE KLOSOWICZ.
EIGHT-RUN LEAD.
B4 | 1 OUT | PSU 10, OSU 2#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/rTZKgaPYsk
Gordon struck out swinging, and Ricks drew a walk. She advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a throwing error by the catcher, adding one more for Penn State. Barbanente struck out to end the inning, but the damage was done.
Frye walked to begin the fifth for Ohio State, but Limon lined into a double play at short, erasing the threat. Cruse singled down the third base line, and Volpe came in to close it out. Parisien walked, but Bewick grounded out to third to end the game.
Game Three
Volpe returned to the mound for Penn State, looking to keep the momentum going after a solid outing earlier in the series. She came out sharp in the top of the first, getting Parisien to fly out to left field on a 1-1 count. Bewick followed with a lineout to shortstop, and Kortokrax struck out looking on three pitches to end a clean 1-2-3 inning for Volpe and the Nittany Lions.
Boutte got the start for Ohio State but quickly ran into trouble. Lieto lined out to center to open the bottom of the first, but Brunson drew a walk to get things going. Klosowicz followed with a single through the left side, advancing Brunson to second.
Gordon struck out swinging, but Ricks worked a full count and walked to load the bases. Barbanente would deliver by launching a grand slam down the right field line to give Penn State an early 4-0 lead.
THAT'S A MICHELA BARBANENTE GRAND SLAMMMMMMM OFF THE (fair) POLE
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 13, 2025
E1 | PSU 4, OSU 0#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/OsfJxez2Ky
Seidel kept the inning alive with a single to second base, but Nelson flied out to center to end the frame.
Burns led off the inning with a single through the left side. After Milliken flied out to left, Burns advanced to second on a wild pitch. Farley went down looking for the second out, but Frye extended the inning with a single to left, moving Burns to third.
Limon then ripped a triple to left center, bringing home both runners and cutting Penn State’s lead to 4-2. Volpe got out of the inning by getting Cruse to foul out to left.
Penn State went down quietly in the bottom of the second. Walters lined out to center, Lieto flied out to right, and Brunson grounded out to second on the first pitch she saw.
Lydia Spalding took over in the circle for Penn State to start the third, but Parisien greeted her with a solo homer to right center, her second home run in as many days, bringing the Buckeyes within one.
Bewick popped out to third, and Kortokrax drew a walk, but Penn State’s defense responded. Burns grounded into a double play to end the threat and keep Penn State in front.
In the bottom half, Klosowicz grounded out to third, but Gordon reached on an infield single back to the pitcher. She stole second to get into scoring position. However, Boutte struck out both Ricks and Barbanente to keep the Nittany Lions off the board.
Milliken wasted no time tying the game, hitting a leadoff homer to left center off Spalding. Farley singled to right, and after that, Britton re-entered the game to take over pitching. Frye laid down a bunt single down the third base line, and Limon walked to load the bases with no outs.
Cruse struck out swinging for a huge first out. Then, Parisien hit a grounder back to Britton, who threw it home to cut down the lead runner.
Bewick hit a grounder to second, and although Penn State tried to turn two, they were unable to do so. Two runs came home on the play, putting the Buckeyes ahead 6-4. Kortokrax popped out in foul territory to third to end the inning.
Seidel led off with a solo homer to right, bringing the Nittany Lions within one.
NEEDED that one
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 13, 2025
HUGE OPPO TACO for Maddie S!
B4 | 0 OUTS | OSU 6, PSU 5#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/XOqZCvGY9R
Nelson walked, and Walters laid down a perfect bunt single to move her up. Lieto advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Brunson followed with a grounder that led to a fielding error at second.
Both runners scored, and Brunson reached safely. Klosowicz lined out to center, and Gordon grounded out to third, but Penn State had retaken the lead 7-6 after four.
SHENANIGANS
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) April 13, 2025
E4 | PSU 7, OSU 6#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/I8Y9xOxQ74
Ohio State’s offense came out swinging in the top of the fifth and quickly took control of the game. Burns led off with her second hit of the day, a single down the third base line. Milliken followed with a single up the middle, putting runners on first and second with nobody out.
Farley drew a walk to load the bases, and Frye made Penn State pay by lining a double down the third base line to clear the bases and push the Buckeyes ahead 9-7.
Frye moved to third on a wild pitch and came home moments later when Limon singled to right field, extending the lead to 10-7. Britton finally recorded an out when Cruse lined out to left, and then got a big strikeout of Parisien while Limon stole second. Bewick grounded out to short to end the inning, but the four-run spot gave Ohio State a three-run cushion.
In the bottom of the inning, Ricks laid down a bunt single, and Barbanente followed with a bunt of her own to put two on. Barbanente stole second during the next at-bat, but Ricks was caught trying to take third. Seidel kept things going with a double to right center to score Barbanente and cut the deficit to 10-8. Nelson grounded out to third, and pinch-hitter Jordan George grounded out to short to end the inning.
Kortokrax grounded out to second to start the inning, but Burns picked up her third hit of the day, a single to left center. That knocked out Britton for the second time in the game, with Volpe coming back in to pitch.
Volpe’s first batter, Milliken, launched a two-run homer to left, her second of the game, pushing Ohio State’s lead to 12-8. Farley singled to right and advanced all the way to third on a pair of wild pitches. Frye walked and stole second. Limon also worked a walk, loading the bases with one out.
Cruse grounded to third, and Farley was thrown out at home for the second out of the inning. Volpe then got Parisien to fly out to center, stranding the bases loaded and keeping the Nittany Lions within four.
In the bottom half, Penn State again chipped away. Lieto fouled out to second, but Brunson cracked a double to left field. Klosowicz grounded out, but Gordon reached on a fielding error at third that allowed Brunson to score. Ricks popped out to short to end the inning, but Penn State closed the gap to 12-9 heading into the final frame.
Volpe returned to the circle for the final frame, but Ohio State wasn’t done yet. After retiring the first two batters, Burns extended the inning with a walk. She advanced to second on a wild pitch, and once again, Milliken delivered by launching her third home run of the game to left center, adding on two more runs and giving Ohio State a 14-9 lead. Farley flied out to left to end the inning, but the damage was already done.
Down five in their final at-bat, Penn State gave it one last push. Barbanente grounded out to second, but Seidel walked, and Nelson ripped a double to right center to put runners on second and third.
Walters grounded out on a bunt but moved the runners over. Lieto came through with a single to left, driving in both runners and cutting the deficit to 14-11. However, the rally stopped there as Brunson lined out to shortstop, ending the game and the series.
Takeaways
- Outside of the series opener, Penn State played right with Ohio State, showing it can compete with one of the Big Ten’s best.
- The Nittany Lions’ pitching staff had flashes of dominance but couldn’t consistently limit big innings from Ohio State.
- Penn State’s bats were on full display with two grand slams in the series, proving their lineup can deliver with runners on base.
What’s Next?
Penn State will return to Beard Field on Tuesday for the Battle of the Keystone State against Pitt. The first pitch is at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, and can be streamed on BTN+.
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