Game Grades: Penn State Softball vs. Purdue

Story posted April 4, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by Dylan Price

The Nittany Lions brought out the brooms for the Boilermakers in a dominant weekend of action at Beard Field, as Penn State swept Purdue to bring their home record to 11-2.

Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, the Nittany Lions outscored the Boilermakers 26-5, in a well-rounded weekend. But let’s take a closer look at how the Nittany Lions took care of business and hand out some grades.

Offense: A

On Saturday in the first of two matchups, the Nittany Lions got the bats going early.

Ally Kurland drove in Cassie Lindmark with a two run homer to get the party started in the first. Lindmark drove in a run in the next inning, Liana Jones homered later in the contest and Kurland connected with another pitch as well, to give the fans another souvenir.

Kurland finished the game going 2-4 with two home runs and five RBIs, as the Nittany lions posted seven total runs.

The bats were on fire heading into the second game, and the Nittany Lions took care of business yet again.

In that contest, the team won 8-1, scoring five runs in the sixth inning to break the game open. In the game, Lindmark homered and finished the game 2-4 with that dinger and two RBIs.

Kurland went 2-4 again, adding two RBIs as well. Lauren Marcotte, Lexie Black, Coombs and Jones all tallied an RBI as well in the dominant win.

Finally, Sunday, the bats started relatively quiet going into the bottom of the fifth inning notched up at three. Then, the offensive onslaught began with the Nittany Lions scoring eight runs in the inning to mercy rule the Boilermakers in an 11-3 rout.

The Nittany Lions saw more production from Lindmark and Kurland, with each hitting a home run in the contest. Marcotte, Michelle Leone and Jones all added RBIs as well.

All and all, the Nittany Lions showed up and showed out at the plate this weekend, and will look to carry that momentum into their upcoming series with Michigan.

Pitching: A

This weekend saw a strong output from the Nittany Lions pitching staff.

The ace of the staff Bailey Parshall, saw action Saturday and Sunday, finishing the weekend with 11 innings of work, giving up four earned runs on nine hits, striking out 12 and earning the win on Saturday, with a complete game on Saturday.

Kylee Lingenfelter pitched a complete game as well, going seven innings with four hits and one earned run in the second game of the double header.

Vanessa Oatley also saw work in the game Sunday, pitching an inning, nabbing the win and giving up no runs, one hit, while striking out two and walking two.

It wasn’t a perfect weekend for the Nittany Lions in the circle, but when you only give up five runs in three games, that’s pretty close to perfect.

Coaching: A+

The Nittany Lions quickly took control of both games on Saturday, but the real outstanding coaching performance occurred on Sunday.

After falling behind to the Boilermakers early, head coach Clarisa Crowell did not waver, she showed faith in Parshall, leaving her out there and waited for her bats to heat up - and they did.

After the game being tied with home runs from Kurland and Lindmark, then, Crowell took a tactical approach, utilizing four pinch runners in the fifth inning to try to get more speed on the base paths, a strategy that worked as the Nittany Lions took the lead and then poured on the runs.

Crowell mentioned time and time again in pressers over this homestand how proud she is of this team, but their performance has truly been a testament to her coaching ability, as the team has turned the tides from their 7-34 campaign last year and just secured their first in conference sweep in six years.

 

Dylan Price is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email dvp5625@psu.edu.