Penn State softball (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) defeated Missouri (0-2,0-0 SEC) 7-4 in 10 innings and blanked Boston College (1-1, 0-0 ACC) 7-0 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

The Nittany Lions combined for 14 runs on 21 hits across their first two games while five different pitchers held Missouri and Boston College to just four runs total.

Game One

Both teams were retired in order in the first inning. 

Natalie Lieto recorded an infield single in the second, and Cara Bohner followed with a single through the left side, but Penn State stranded two runners. Missouri capitalized in the bottom half, using a walk, a fielding error, nd a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead.

In the third, Kaylie Walters drew a walk, and Michaela Barbanente tripled to right-center to drive her in. Brooke Klosowicz followed with an RBI single to shallow right to give the Nittany Lions a 2-1 lead. Kirsten Finarelli added a single, but Penn State left two runners on base.

Missouri tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a bases-loaded walk. Abigail Britton entered in relief of McKenna Young and prevented any further damage.

Bohner tripled to left in the fourth, but Missouri’s pitcher struck out three straight Nittany Lions to escape the inning. Penn State went back in front in the fifth when Finarelli singled, and Lieto drove her in with a double to make it 3-2.

Missouri tied things up in the bottom half of the fifth on an RBI single up the middle, but Brevyn Kellepouris came into the game and struck out two batters to end the inning.

Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh innings, forcing extras, but Penn State broke through in the 10th. Barbanente started on second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Klosowicz. Finarelli delivered an RBI single, and Allison Oneacre crushed a two-run homer deep to left field to extend Penn State’s lead to 7-4.

Penn State slammed the door in the bottom of the 10th as Bridget Nemeth struck out one, forced a pop-up, and got Bohner to flyout to right to secure the win.

Game Two

After a Barbanente walk and stolen base with one out in the first inning, Klosowicz launched a two-run homer deep to left field to put the Nittany Lions up 2-0 early.

Boston College put a runner on with a bunt single in the bottom of the first, but two groundouts got Penn State out of the first inning unscathed.

Madison Seidel opened the second inning with a triple to right-center field, and Breanna Hanik drew a walk before stealing second base. However, Penn State stranded both runners.

In the bottom half, Nemeth retired the eargles in order, forcing a pop-up to the circle before striking out Meghan Schouten and forcing an inning-ending groundout.

After quiet third and fourth innings for Penn Syate, Mackenzie Duncan entered in relief of Nemeth and retired two batters on pop-ups. She then worked around a walk to strand a runner at second. 

Finarelli broke through in the fifth, hitting a solo homer to right field to extend Penn State’s lead to 3-0. Dunacn responded with a clean bottom half, striking out two.

Penn State added to its lead in the sixth when Walters singled, and both Walters and Hanik stole bases. Hanik eventually came around to score on a fielding error, pushing the lead to 4-0.

Duncan retired Boston College on a groundout and a strikeout before a single that was quickly stranded after another strikeout.

In the seventh inning, Finarelli reached on an error, and Lieto doubled deep to left field. Onearce followed with a two-run single to make it 6-0. Seidel later grounded out to second but drove in another run, giving Penn State a 7-0 lead.

Boston College opened the bottom of the seventh with a single, but Duncan recorded a strikeout, forced a flyout to right field, and got Carly Bunnell to ground out to second to secure the combined shutout.

Takeaways

• Finarelli was all over the shat sheet. She homered against Boston College and drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning against Missouri.
• Onracre had the best swing of the day. Her two-run homer in the 10th inning against Missouri sealed the first game, and then she followed it up with a two-RBI single against Boston College.
• Against Missouri, Young, Brittion, Kellepouris, and Neteth combined to work through 10 innings. Later in the day, Penn State shut out Boston College.

What’s Next?

Penn State softball will play two more games tomorrow at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The team will start the day playing Eastern Kentucky at 12 p.m. and then face BYU at 3 p.m.