Despite coming off a successful spring break road trip, the Wisconsin softball team dropped both games to Penn State in its Big Ten opening series in University Park, Pa. this past weekend.
The Badgers (0-2 Big Ten, 15-11 overall) were outscored by the Nittany Lions (2-0, 15-11) 8-5 in their first game on Saturday.
Penn State wasted no time, getting on the board in the first inning. The Badgers, however, answered in the second with four runs of their own. The Nittany Lions helped spark the Wisconsin offense as junior pitcher Lisa Akamine hit a batter and walked two more. Penn State also committed an error in the inning, allowing sophomore outfielder Kendall Grimm to reach base. The Badgers capitalized, and freshman infielder Mary Massei drove in three runs with a triple to right center.
Penn State tied it up in the third, this time with the help of a Badger error. Freshman outfielder Alyssa Sovereign doubled to center and drove in two RBIs.
The Badgers didn't trail for long. In the fourth inning, Massei had another RBI, this time doubling to left center, allowing senior outfielder Jennifer Krueger to cross home plate.
Penn State scored again in the fifth and added three more insurance runs in the sixth, while holding the Badgers scoreless in the final three innings.
Freshman pitcher Cassandra Darrah suffered the loss, dropping her record to 10-2 overall.
Sunday's game was a low-scoring pitcher's duel: Darrah got the start once again for the Badgers and it was Akamine in the circle for the Nittany Lions.
Although Penn State scored in the first, the Badgers were able to keep them from scoring again until the game went to extra innings, where they scored two in the eigth.
Junior infielder Karla Powell tied the game in the fourth with her team-leading sixth home run of the year. At the end of seven, the score was tied at 1-1 and the game headed to extra innings.
Wisconsin scored first in the extra frame. Freshman infielder Michelle Mueller got an RBI with a sac fly down the right field line. Even though the Badgers went on to load the bases with a hit batter and two walks, they were unable to score any more runs and left the bases loaded.
But, the Badgers were unable to shut down the Penn State offense any longer and the Nittany Lions scored two runs in the eighth to beat the Badgers, 3-2 for the second straight day.
Redshirt senior Jackie Hill earned the win for the Nittany Lions. Despite striking out six Darrah suffered her second consecutive loss falling to 10-3.
UWBadgers.com contributed to this article
