Penn State softball (4-0, 0-0 Big Ten) defeated Eastern Kentucky (0-3, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) 4-2 and scraped by BYU (1-3, 0-0 Big 12) 4-3 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

Game One

Nittany Lion pitcher McKenna Young opened the game by recording two strikeouts and forcing a groundout in the first inning. Kaylie Walters kicked off the Penn State scoring, reaching home on a throwing error. Kirsten Finarelli followed with a single to left field, driving in Michela Barbanente and giving the Nittany Lions an early 2-0 lead.

Young continued her strong outing on the mound in the second, allowing no hits or runs. Cara Bohner drew a walk, and Madison Seidel laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position. Walters then walked and stole second, forcing a throwing error that allowed Bohner to score and extend the lead to 3-0.

Young retired the next three Colonel batters, and Brooke Klosowicz blasted a solo home run to deep left field in the third to push the Nittany Lions’ advantage to 4-0.

Young allowed just one hit in the fourth. The Nittany Lion offense was retired in order.

Eastern Kentucky broke through in the fifth inning when Kennedy Drafton reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Emily Mariscal to score. Penn State went down in order at the plate.

Eastern Kentucky’s Kaitlyn Wallis tripled to left field, bringing home Jada McLeod, who had reached earlier on a fielding error. Klosowicz doubled to right field later in the inning but was left stranded as the Nittany Lions held a 4-2 lead.

Abigail Britton retired the Colonels in order in the seventh to earn the save, as the Nittany Lions claimed a 4-2 victory to remain undefeated in the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

Game Two

Brevyn Kellepouris got the start in the circle for the Nittany Lions, while Kaysen Korth started for BYU. Neither pitcher allowed a hit or run in the first inning. 

In the second inning, BYU put a runner on base due to a fielding error, but she was left stranded. Penn State answered with a single from Michela Barbanente, though she was unable to bring her home.

BYU struck first in the third. Back-to-back singles put runners on first and second before Ilovea Brittingham drove a single up the right side to score both runners, giving BYU the 2-0 lead at the end of the third inning.

Bridget Nemeth came in to pitch for the Nittany Lions in the fourth and retired all three batters she faced. Penn State recorded two hits in the inning, singles from Allison Oneacre and Brooke Klosowicz, but could not capitalize.

BYU added to its lead in the fifth when Bre Townsend singled to right-center, scoring Brittingham, who had reached on a single. Breanna Hanik singled for the Nittany Lions in the bottom half, but she was left on base, giving BYU the 3-0 advantage entering the sixth. 

Abigail Britton pitched a hitless sixth inning for Penn State. Allison Oneacre homered to deep left field to spark life into the Nittany Lion offense, cutting the deficit to 3-1 heading into the final inning.

Britton retired BYU’s batters at the top of the seventh. Barbanente singled, and Macy Chamberlin doubled down the left field line to score her, putting the Nittany Lions within one run. Hanik then reached base on a fielder’s choice, and pinch runner Jordyn Jochims scored on a throwing error, tying the score at 3-3 and sending the game into extra innings. 

BYU recorded a single but did not score in the eighth. Oneacre laid down a sacrifice bunt, sending Bohner to third. Kirsten Finarelli singled, scoring Bohner and giving the Nittany Lions the 4-3 win. 

Takeaways:

• Oneacre’s powerful swing and offensive production proved to be crucial for the Nittany Lions, blasting two home runs across four games.
• The Nittany Lions opened their season with confident bats, scoring 19 runs across four games so far this weekend. 
• McKenna Young and Abigail Britton delivered a standout performance in game one, combining to allow just three hits.

What’s Next? 

​​Penn State softball will play its final game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic tomorrow. The team will face Auburn at 10 a.m. in hopes of staying undefeated.