Penn State softball (17-4) won both its games in Friday’s action at the Hokie Invitational with a 15-5 mercy rule win against Radford University (6-12) and an 8-3 victory over Boston College (7-14). 

Behind a strong first inning for the bats, Penn State jumped out to a 7-0 lead in game one and never looked back. McKenna Young held the Highlanders to four runs through five innings of work as the Nittany Lion bats continued to tag on runs.

A four-spot in the second inning of the second game put Penn State ahead of Boston College, and the combination of Brevyn Kellepouris, Duncan Mackenzie, and Bridget Nemeth kept the Eagles’ offense to three runs.

Game 1

Penn State got the first chance to strike, and it did so in a big way. The first five Nittany Lions reached base, and one of them touched them all. Freshman phenom Allison Oneacre opened the game with a hit by pitch, and Natalie Lieto dropped down a bunt for a hit. Brooke Klosowicz brought both runners and herself in with a three-run home run to put Penn State on the board.

Three of the next four batters walked, loading the bases with only one out, and Radford was forced to use its bullpen early. Breanna Hanik, facing Dakota Redmon’s fresh arm, knocked a triple into the right-center alley, giving Penn State a 6-0 lead with only one Nittany Lion retired.

Kaylie Walters brought her home, and the inning finished during Oneacre’s second at-bat of the frame.

Radford finally had its first chance at the plate 20-some minutes after the first pitch. Young took the mound for Penn State, fresh off her no-hitter during Penn State’s final game of the Tennessee Invitational.

Young retired the first two batters, but a two-out double off the bat of Amber Wolfe caused trouble. Hailey Scott singled through the left side, and Radford was on the board. Young cleaned up the first inning with a ground-out.

Redmon retired the side in the second, and Young allowed a single Highlander to reach, keeping the score 7-1, in favor of Penn State.

The Nittany Lions expanded their lead in the third. Starting with a fielding error by Radford, back-to-back singles brought the lead to 9-1. Chaos on the basepaths brought Hanik and Walters to second and third for Oneacre, who knocked Hanik in with a fielder’s choice.

A pair of one-out singles by Lieto and Klosowicz continued the run parade, and Radford brought on its third pitcher of the game, down 13-1.

Young worked through four Highlander batters and had no problem getting through the third inning, but the fourth went awry. She gave up consecutive extra-base hits with one out and then loaded the bases with a walk and a hit by pitch. Radford brought in three runs before Young finished the frame.

Penn State continued to tag on runs, scoring one in the fourth and one in the fifth to extend their lead to 15-4. Young cleaned up game one with one of her best innings, striking out two Highlanders and retiring the other via ground out.

Penn State won its first game on Friday, 15-4.

Game 2

Penn State’s Friday night game began much differently. Despite Leito slicing a double down the left field line, the Nittany Lions did not push a run across in the first.

Kellepouris toed the slab for Penn State and got herself in a jam. After retiring the leadoff batter, Kellepouris gave up consecutive singles, and Boston College threatened to score. The Nittany Lion pitcher struck out the next batter in seven pitches and got a first-pitch fly-out to escape unscathed.

Penn State’s bats came alive in the second. Hanik launched a home run for her fifth RBI of the day, and a string of hits from Madison Seidel, Cara Bohner, Gabby Gradisher, and Oneacre brought in three runs, giving Penn State a 4-0 lead.

Kellepouris made quick work of the Eagles in the bottom half of the frame, striking out a pair.

Red-hot Hanik delivered another lead-off knock in the third, with a double down the left field line, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. But the following batters were unable to score her as Seidel and Bohner struck out and Gradishar popped out.

Boston College notched two singles in the bottom of the third, threatening with runners on second and third after stealing, but was unable to score as Kellepouris worked through another scoreless frame.

Oneacre extended Penn State’s lead to five in the fourth with a solo home run, furthering her case as the No. 1 third baseman in college softball.

The next inning was quiet for both squads, but Boston College got a rally going in the fifth. Nicole Riddell and Kae DePerio collected consecutive singles, and Sammy Horn bunted them both into scoring position. The following batter grounded a ball to short, and Walters was unable to make a play, allowing both runners to score.

Duncan replaced Kellepouris and loaded the bases with two outs, but got Adriana Martinez swinging to end the fifth.

Penn State extended its lead in the sixth by three runs. Walters and Leito reached based for Klosowicz, who doubled down the right field line, scoring one. Michela Barbanente’s sacrifice bunt scored another, and a groundout later in the inning brought home Barbanente.

Nemeth came in to pitch for Penn State in the sixth and retired three of the four Eagles’ hitters without allowing a run. Penn State did not score in the seventh and held an 8-2 lead.

Nemeth allowed a home run to start the final frame, but retired the next three batters consecutively to close out Friday night’s matchup. Penn State won 8-3.

Takeaways:

• Penn State’s bats started hot in game one, knocking in six runs before Radford could record two outs. It took an inning for them to warm back up in game two, but the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 4-0 lead and extended it through the remaining innings.
• Kellepouris and Duncan limited an eager Eagles’ offense to two runs through seven innings.
• Klosowicz and Hanik notched five RBIs each in Friday’s games, accounting for ten of the 21 runs driven in by Penn State.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions aim to continue their hot start in Virginia on Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m. against James Madison.