Penn State softball (23-11, 4-5 Big Ten) swept Rutgers (17-18, 3-9 Big Ten) over the weekend.

Penn State came back from two losses against Wisconsin a week ago and had a very strong series against Rutgers.

Game One

After a Natalie Lieto groundout led off the game, Breanna Hanik hit an infield single, followed by a single from Brooke Klosowicz. Penn State followed up with three straight outs, ending the first without a run. Penn State starter Bridget Nemeth got out of the bottom of the first without too much trouble, only allowing one hit to Rutgers first baseman Baileigh Burtis.

The second inning was quiet for both teams, with Nemeth striking out a batter. In the top of the third, Penn State got on the board when Allison Oneacre backed up a Klosowicz walk with her 12th home run of the season. Then, after a Michela Barbanente walk, Jordan George hit a single up the middle to score a run. In the bottom of the inning, Nemeth sent down three Rutgers batters in order.

After a quiet fourth inning for both teams, Penn State replicated a sequence of events that had happened earlier in the game. After Klosowicz worked a walk, Oneacre hit another home run, her 13th of the season. Then, Barbanente tripled, and George walked. Although the inning ended with George getting thrown out at second base, Barbanente scored on an infield single before the out occurred, putting Penn State up by six. Pitcher McKenna Young continued what Nemeth started and sent down Rutgers in order with two strikeouts.

TWO IN THE GAME. ALLISON ONEACRE LEAVES THE YARD AGAIN

B5 | 1 OUT | PSU 5, RUT 0#WeAre | #AllIn pic.twitter.com/1rbvXkMz73

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) March 27, 2026

In the sixth, Lieto hit a solo home run, putting Penn State up by seven. In the seventh, the Nittany Lions scored their last run of the game, after Frankee Flesher doubled and then scored on a Macy Chamberlin single. Rutgers went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, securing a Penn State win 8-0.

Game Two

The Nittany Lions picked up where they left off at the start of the game, with Barbanente hitting a solo home run to center field. Klosowicz followed up with a single, then Oneacre walked, and Lieto singled to load the bases. George then worked a walk, bringing in a run to put Penn State on top 2-0 to start the second game of the series. In the bottom of the inning, Rutgers got its first run of the series after starter Mackenzie Duncan walked two batters and allowed a sac fly.

After a quiet second inning for both teams and a quiet top of the third for Penn State, Rutgers took its first lead of the series. Jayla Fuller led off the inning with a single, then Riley Hwang hit an RBI double. Hwang then scored on an RBI fielder’s choice, and another run scored off of a Penn State error. Rutgers ended its half of the inning leading 5-2.

The Nittany Lions came right back to tie the game in the fourth inning, when Klosowicz hit a three-run home run to left field. Rutgers then went down in order to end its half of the inning.

In the fifth, Penn State took the lead when Frankee Flesher got hit by a pitch and then scored on an RBI single by Gabby Gradishar. Rutgers then tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth off a solo home run by Burtis.

After a quiet sixth inning, Penn State took the lead again, this time off a solo home run by Gradishar. Despite a pinch hit walk in the bottom of the seventh, Rutgers was unable to tie the game again, allowing Penn State to sneak by with a win 7-6.

GRADI-SHOT IN THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH. LIONS LEAD

M7 | PSU 7, RUT 6#WeAre | #AllIn pic.twitter.com/z3lLfAPcxH

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) March 28, 2026

Game Three

Penn State got started right away at the top of the first inning, with Hanik working a lead-off walk. After two more walks to load the bases, George got an RBI after getting hit by a pitch. The Nittany Lions went into the bottom of the inning with a 1-0 lead. Rutgers then scored two in their half of the inning, after Burtis doubled to score Hwang, and Addie Osborne hit an RBI infield single.

PSU came back to take the lead in the second inning. After a walk, a single, and a fielder’s choice, Oneacre hit a two-RBI single, allowing Penn State to take the lead 3-2. Penn State then sent Rutgers down quietly in the bottom of the inning.

Nittany Lions TAKE THE LEAD with a nifty two-ribbie single from AO!

M2 | PSU 3, RUT 2#WeAre | #AllIn pic.twitter.com/0D5DdnjFQC

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) March 29, 2026

In the third, Lieto led off the inning with a walk, and George followed up with a single. After a sacrifice bunt from Flesher, Gradishar hit a two-RBI single to put Penn State up 5-2. Rutgers was able to get one back in the bottom of the third after Fuller scored on a wild pitch.

In the fourth, Penn State got another run, this time off a Rutgers error. Rutgers got that run back in its half of the inning when Charleigh Schuettler hit a solo home run to center field.

After a quiet fifth and sixth innings, Penn State got its final run of the game in the top of the seventh off a solo home run from Lieto. In the bottom of the seventh, Rutgers attempted to come back and even scored a run on an RBI double from Osborne. Penn State pitcher Abi Britton stopped the comeback, though, and ended the game with Penn State winning 7-5.

Takeaways

• The Penn State offense never quit this weekend, even when it was down. Whenever pitching faltered, the offense picked the unit up.
• The entire offense was a factor in every game, and there wasn’t one player who stood out more than others.
• Allison Oneacre and Natalie Lieto brought the power, each hitting two home runs.
• Pitching in game one was solid. The Nittany Lions shut out Rutgers.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will head to Pittsburgh for a game against Pitt on Tuesday, March 31. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and it can be streamed on ACCN.