UNIVERSITY PARK — The Penn State softball team celebrated Senior Day at the Softball Complex on Saturday, May 3, with a series-tying 7-5 victory over Washington.
After honoring the program’s six seniors — Haylie Brunson, Meagan Ricks, Maddie Gordon, Lydia Spalding, Mady Volpe and Lydia Coleman — in a pregame ceremony, Brunson, Ricks and Gordon sparked a five-run, first-inning rally by the Lions that gave the team a three-run lead it would not relinquish.
Penn State added single runs in the third and fifth innings while pitchers Abigail Britton, Spalding and Volpe held off the Huskies for the Lions’ 24th win of the season and 10th in the Big Ten.
Washington opened the game with two runs in the top of the first, but then Brunson drove in the Lions’ first run with an RBI single in the bottom that scored Gordon.
Michela Barbanente followed with another RBI hit that tied it at 2-2 before Madison Seidel put PSU ahead with an RBI fielder’s choice.
Penn State went on to make it 5-2 when Kaylie Walters walked with the bases loaded and then Ricks, with the bases still loaded, was hit by a pitch.
The Huskies scored a run in the top of the second inning, but Britton was able to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam that avoided further damage.
Penn State got that run back immediately in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Gianna Poletti that scored Walters and restored the Lions’ three-run, 6-3 margin.
Both teams scored a run in the fifth. Washington came on an RBI single by Giselle Alvarez, and then Penn State finished its scoring with an RBI double by Ricks that scored Poletti.
On the mound for the Lions, Spalding (5-1) took the win with two innings of one-run, one-hit ball, and she was relieved by Volpe, who finished the final two innings.
Volpe gave up one run on a seventh-inning home run by Alvarez, but otherwise completed her first save of the season.
Penn State collected eight hits overall in the game, led by Brunson’s two, with Ricks, Brooke Klosowicz, Barbanente, Seidel, Walters and Poletti each getting one. Ricks led the team with two RBIs.
On Sunday, May 4, in Penn State’s final regular-season game of the season, Washington took the three-game series with an 8-0, five-inning victory that saw pitcher Morgan Reimer win her 15th game with a two-hit shutout.
Penn State finished the regular season with a final record of 24-26 overall and 10-12 in the Big Ten.
The record qualified the Lions as the No. 11 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Softball Tournament to be held at Indiana beginning on Wednesday, May 7.
Penn State will face No. 6 Iowa (15-7) in the First Round on Wednesday, May 7, at 11 a.m.
Penn State lost the season series to Iowa 3-0 this season with setbacks of 2-1, 10-2 and 3-1.
The winner of the game will face No. 3 Nebraska (17-5) on Thursday, May 8, at 11 a.m.
