Penn State softball (18-6) fell to the James Madison Dukes (11-10) 5-3 and the Virginia Tech Hokies (19-2) 7-6 in Saturday’s action of the Hokie Invitational. 

The Nittany Lions tallied two four doubles and two home runs across both games. Natalie Lieto led with two doubles and a home run against James Madison. Brooke Klosowicz went 3-4 at the plate, and Macy Chamberlain went 2-2 with a home run against the Hokies.

Game 1

McKenna Young started in the circle for the Nittany Lions and retired the Dukes’ first three batters. Penn State struck first when Natalie Lieto doubled to right-center field, driving in Kaylie Walters, who had been hit by a pitch, to give it an early 1-0 lead.

Bella Henzler responded for the Dukes by launching a home run into left field to even the score at 1-1. Young was able to close out the inning, leaving a Duke runner stranded on second. Penn State’s Michela Barabanente reached first on a passed ball and stole second, but was left on base. 

Abigail Britton took over pitching in the third, forcing three Duke groundouts. 

Penn State regained the lead soon after, when Lieto blasted a shot into center field, putting the Nittany Lions back up 2-1. 

James Madison answered in the fourth inning with back-to-back singles. Payton List then singled into right field, which resulted in a run due to a throwing error. Kira Ortega followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home another run and giving James Madison a 3-2 lead. Penn State was held scoreless in the inning.

Brevyn Kellepouris came on in relief for the Nittany Lions and allowed two hits but no runs. Lieto and Allison Oneacre each drew walks later in the inning, but Penn State was unable to capitalize, leaving both runners stranded as the score remained 3-2.

Ortega extended the Dukes’ lead with a home run to left-center field, making the Dukes’ lead 4-2. Penn State was silenced again by James Madison pitcher Payton List holding the Nittany Lions hitless in the sixth inning. 

The Dukes added an insurance run in the seventh after putting two runners on base early. Henzler delivered an RBI single to left field to stretch the lead to 5-2. Penn State attempted a late rally when Lieto, who finished 3-for-3 at the plate, doubled. Oneacre followed with a single to left-center field to drive her in, but the Lady Lions fell to the Dukes, 5-3. 

Game 2

Lieto stayed hot into the second game of the day, lining a single to left field to get the Nittany Lions started. Brooke Klosowicz followed with a double to left that brought Lieto home. Gabby Gradishar was walked, which brought in Klosowicz. Madison Seidel was then walked, the fourth batter walked in the inning, and Macy Chamberlin scored, giving Penn State the early 3-0 lead. Virginia Tech answered right back with Michelle Chatfield doubling up the center. Kylie Aldridge followed with a double of her own, scoring Chatfield. Jordan Lynch then crushed a two-run home run to left-center to even the score at 3-3. 

Klosowicz singled down the left field line to kickstart the second inning for Penn State. Chamberlin then blasted a two-run home run to right field to put Penn State back in front, 5-3. 

Bridget Nemeth held the Hokies to one hit in the second inning.

Oneacre drew a walk in the third but was left stranded as the Lady Lions went scoreless. Britton entered the circle for Penn State and retired the Hokies in order.

Klosowicz connected once again with another single, but had the only Penn State hit of the inning. The Hokie bats unloaded in the bottom of the fourth, Addison Foster and Rachel Castine smashing solo home runs to tie the game at 5-5. 

Bohner and Oneacre walked in the fifth. Klosowicz then reached base on a Hokie fielding error, scoring Bohner. Zoe Yaeger responded for Virginia Tech by going yard to knot the game at 6-6.

Penn State was retired in order at the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, Castine struck again, launching her second home run of the night to give the Hokies the 7-6 victory. 

Takeaways:

• Lieto was electric in Game 1, going 3-3 with two doubles and a home run. 
• Penn State jumped out to early leads in both games, scoring first against James Madison and building a 3-0 first-inning lead against Virginia Tech, but could not retain their leads. 
• Penn State struggled to capitalize with runners on base, leaving 19 runners stranded between both games.

What’s Next?

The Lady Lions will travel to Corvallis, Oregon, to take on Oregon State on Wednesday, March 11, at 8 p.m. on ESPN+.