ATLANTA — The Penn State softball team traveled to Mewborn Field in Atlanta, Georgia for its final two nonconference away games of the season against No. 17 Oklahoma State (21-9) and Georgia Tech (21-14) Saturday, March 29.
The Lions, however, found hits and runs hard to come by in losses to both of the southern powerhouses.
Against Oklahoma State on Saturday morning, Penn State pulled to within 4-2 in the fifth inning after home runs by right fielder Haylie Brunson and first baseman Meagan Ricks.
But the Cowgirls, who slugged 13 hits in the game, scored a run in the bottom of the fifth and then ended their 10-2 win with a five-run rally in the bottom of the sixth.
Penn State managed five hits in the game, two by Brunson and one each by Ricks, shortstop Kaylie Walters and center fielder Jenna Nelson.
In the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, the Lions took on Georgia Tech and 9-4 pitcher Sophia Voyles.
Voyles gave up a leadoff double to Brooke Klosowicz, but then except for a single by Michela Barbanente, did not allow another Penn State hit for the rest of the day.
She was helped by an eight-run rally in the bottom of the second inning and cruised out to the 10-0, five-inning victory.
Even in the bad news about the two losses, the Lions Klosowicz kept adding to her impressive accomplishments this season.
Klosowicz is leading Division 1 softball with the most doubles, and she added to her total with a leadoff double against Georgia Tech.
Klosowicz also has the longest reached-base streak in the country. She now has 31 consecutive games in which she reached base.
She now has 16 doubles this season, and she needs just three more to set the Penn State all-time record.
Penn State is now 14-18 overall for the season and 2-5 in the conference. The Lions will now return home to Nittany Lion Softball Park for a weekend series against Big Ten opponent Rutgers.
