Posted April 14, 2024 | Article by Ben Palillo | Photo by Ryan Eslinger
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – After securing the series win on Saturday, Penn State returned to Beard Field on Sunday, hoping to complete the series sweep of Michigan State. However, the Spartans had other plans, taking the series finale by 6-2.
Michigan State got the scoring going in the top of the first as Anna Fox walked before stealing second and coming around to score on an RBI single by Britain Beshears.
The green and white would build on their lead at the top of the second.
Collette Allen led off the inning with a double to right field and advanced to third after Kayla Bane reached on a fielding error by Gianna Poletti.
Bane then stole second, putting a pair of runners in scoring position, before Mik Anthony slapped a two-run single up the middle to give Michigan State a 3-0 lead.
An Alexis Ross single and a Hannah Hawley walk loaded the bases before Fox lined into a 4-5 double play that saw Anthony thrown out at third. Sydney Doloszycki would then step to the dish and line a single to right field, plating Ross and extending the Spartan lead to four.
After a scoreless two innings, the Nittany Lions would begin to mount a comeback. Following a frozen rope single through the infield by Haylie Brunson, Liana Jones crushed an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to cut the Spartans’ lead to two.
Michigan State would answer right back in the top of the fifth. Following an infield single by Jenae Wash, Bane would pick an opportune moment to get her first hit of the season, sending a two-run shot over the left field wall.
Penn State would load the bases in the bottom half of the inning before Emily Maddock grounded out to end the frame.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Nittany Lions put runners on second and third before Kaitlyn Morrison sent a rocket up the middle that somehow found the glove of pitcher Madison Taylor.
Taylor came in for relief of Ashyln Roberts and picked up her third victory of the season after going 3.2 innings and allowing no runs.
The blue and white loaded the bases once again in the bottom of the seventh before Jiselle Hernandez struck out and Brooke Klosowicz flew out to end the game.
With the loss, Penn State’s winning streak ends at three, and they fall to 30-9 in the campaign. The Nittany Lions are now 13-2 at home this season and 9-3 in conference play, which ties them for second place in the Big Ten with Michigan.
With the win, Michigan State improves to 15-25 and 2-11 in conference play. Despite the win, the Spartans still sit at the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
Next up for the Nittany Lions is a midweek doubleheader against Ohio State. The first pitch is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.
Ben Palillo is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email bgp5079@psu.edu.
Penn State CommRadio 