Penn State softball (19-9) (0-3) dropped three games to No. 18 Oregon (21-7) (3-0) in its conference series this past weekend. 

Penn State only recorded nine hits throughout the games.

How It Happened

Game 1:

The Nittany Lions went down 1-2-3 in the first inning. For the Ducks, the bats stayed hot heading into Saturday’s game. Kaylynn Jones singled up the middle and was driven in by a Butler homerun. Rylee McCoy then doubled to center, and Stefini Ma’ake sent her home with a single up the left field line. The Ducks started dominant once again with a 3-0 advantage. 

No hits were recorded by either team in the second inning as Oregon’s Lyndsey Grein and Penn State’s Bridget Nemeth worked the circle. 

At the top of the third, Natalie Lieto reached on a fielding error for Penn State, but was left on base. The Ducks had back-to-back solo home runs from Elon Butler and Amari Harper to extend the lead to 5-0. 

Michela Barbanente gave the Nittany Lions some life with a home run to left center, but Oregon did more damage at the plate with a two-run homer from Harper followed by a solo from McCoy, extending the Ducks’ lead to 8-1. 

Lieto sent a ball over the left center fence for a solo home run, but the Nittany Lions still trailed, 8-2. The Ducks were retired in order at the bottom of the fifth. 

NAT WENT YARD! Back to work in the field

M5 | ORE 8, PSU 2#WeAre | #AllIn pic.twitter.com/xZ0LySo2Ez

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) March 14, 2026

Bats were quiet from both sides in the sixth, as Penn State recorded no hits and Oregon swung for two singles. No runs were scored.

The Nittany Lion batters were shut down in the seventh, and Oregon won its first game of the series, 8-2. 

Game 2:

The first three Nittany Lion batters were retired by Oregon right-hander Maddie Milhorn. For the Ducks, the bases were loaded when McCoy was hit by a pitch, scoring Ayanna Shaw, who reached base on a wild pitch. Ma’ake then hit a sacrifice fly to score Jones, who had singled earlier in the inning. Emma Cox then singled to left field, giving the Ducks an early 3-0 lead. 

Brooke Klosowicz got the Penn State bats going with a homer to center field, but that would be the only Nittany Lion run of the second inning. For Oregon, Addison Amaral reached base on an error, and Shaw singled, setting up Butler, who doubled down the line to score them both. Butler scored later in the inning due to a wild pitch, giving the Ducks a dominant 6-1 lead. 

Klosowicz? more like… clobbered it. SOLO SHOT gets PSU ON THE BOARD!

T2 | 0 OUTS | ORE 3, PSU 1#WeAre | #AllIn pic.twitter.com/MgO7AmpmST

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) March 14, 2026

In the top of the third, Lieto singled with two outs for the Nittany Lions, but no runs were scored. Oregon continued to produce from the plate, Amaral doubling down the line to score Regan Legg. Butler then cranked a three-run home run to right field to give the Ducks a 10-1 lead. 

Klosowicz notched another hit in the fourth inning, but was left stranded on base. McKenna Young came in to pitch for Brevyn Kellepouris and was able to hold off any further Oregon runs. 

Penn State was retired in order at the top of the fifth, giving the Oregon Ducks the 10-1 victory by run rule. 

Game 3:

Penn State had no hits in the first inning, but Barbanente reached base on an error. Abigail Britton started in the circle for the Nittany Lions and retired the Ducks in order. 

Nittany Lion bats were quiet in the second as well, but Breanna Hanik reached on a fielding error. McCoy was walked for Oregon and was later brought in by a Ma’ake single, giving Oregon the 1-0 lead. 

Neither team made contact in the third inning as both Britton and Elise Sokolsky put on solid performances in the circle. 

Penn State went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth. For Oregon, Cox reached base on a fielder’s choice, allowing Butler to score, who reached on a throwing error earlier in the inning. Ma’ake then doubled to right field, scoring Legg, who served as a pinch runner. The Ducks extended their lead, 3-0. 

The Nittany Lion bats caught fire in the fifth. Gabby Gradishar singled through the left side, followed by Cara Bohner singling as well. Barbanente was walked, loading the bases. Klosowicz, who had a homer in Saturday’s game of the series, smashed a grand slam into left center, giving Penn State the 4-3 edge. The Ducks were silenced by Mackenzie Duncan, recording just one single. 

GRAND SLAM

Brooke Klosowicz gives @PennStateSB a 4-3 lead over Oregon pic.twitter.com/S2ECpVvt6S

— Big Ten Softball (@B1Gsoftball) March 15, 2026

Penn State had no hits in the sixth, and Oregon responded at the plate. Cox and Ma’ake each notched singles, and Presley Lawton scored on a wild pitch as a pinch runner. Taryn Ho then singled through the left side, Oregon regaining the lead 5-4. 

Jordan George walked to start the seventh inning, and Barbanente was hit by a pitch. Klosowicz then reached base on a fielder’s choice, allowing pinch runner Karwowski to score. Cox sealed the game with a sacrifice fly to score Butler and give Oregon the series sweep, 6-5. 

Takeaways:

• Despite the sweep, Brooke Klosowicz was the star of the show, with two home runs and six RBIs. 
• The Nittany Lions had just nine hits across all three games, compared to Oregon’s 28. 
• The Nittany Lions fell behind early in every game, including 3-0 first-inning deficits in Games 1 and 2.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will defend home field against Wisconsin in a three-game series. Game one will be 5 p.m. on Friday, March 20. The game can be streamed on Big Ten Plus.