Nittany Lions' bats stay quiet in series opener vs. Michigan

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Starting off their last home stand of the 2024 regular season, the Nittany Lions fell to the Michigan Wolverines after playing four scoreless innings.

Bridget Nemeth pitched the whole game, giving up three hits and two runs on her 105-pitch outing.

After a solo home run by Maddie Erickson deep down the left field line in the sixth inning, the Wolverines maintained a 2-0 lead.

“Bridget [Nemeth] threw a good game. The defense played well,” Clarisa Crowell said. “I think it just came down to we’ve got to score.”

The Wolverines were unable to find an offensive rhythm early on as Nemeth retired five of the first six batters.

Penn State also experienced offensive struggles despite scoring opportunities in the bottom of the fourth.

After a leadoff strikeout by Haylie Brunson, Liana Jones was walked by Michigan’s pitcher, Lauren Derkowski.

Wolverines catcher, Lilly Vallimont, called a pitchers meeting after the walk, but Emily Maddock, the next batter, was hit by the first pitch of the at-bat, advancing to first base and advancing Jones to second base.

Nemeth pinch hit for Jiselle Hernandez and flew out to center field for the second out of the inning.

Brooke Klosowicz came in to pinch hit for Gianna Poletti and sent a rocket of a ball to right field almost allowing a scoring opportunity.

Jones rounded third base, dived back and called safe just as Ella Stephenson fired the ball in from right field to the catcher.

The inning ended a batter later on a Michela Barbanente strikeout.

Nemeth entered the fifth inning with just 51 pitches, one hit and four strikeouts. However, she gave up her first walk this time to Jenissa Conway and Ava Costales.

This set up the perfect scoring opportunity for the Wolverines as Ella McVey hit a gap-shot line drive between Jones and Barbanente.

Nemeth recorded 28 pitches in this eventful inning and momentum swung towards the Wolverines with a 1-0 lead and Penn State went three up, three down in the bottom of the fifth.

Starting off the sixth, Indiana Langford grounded out. Erickson stepped up to the plate and with a 1-1 count sent a deep shot down the left field line for a solo home run.

The Nittany Lions quickly recorded two outs with a groundout and a flyout, but the damage had already been done.

They went three up, three down again in the bottom of the sixth; the Wolverines copied this pattern in the top of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Crowell made some changes to the batting order hoping to find a spark to tie or win the game.

Nemeth came in earlier as a pinch hitter for Hernandez, and led the seventh inning off.

“When we go into the game, giving [Nemeth] opportunities to hit is always kind of the plan,” Crowell said. “We didn’t have the result, but we all feel confident when she’s in the box.”

Striking out swinging with a 1-2 count, the next woman up for the Nittany Lions was Poletti who also struck out looking on a 2-2 count. The fate of the game was left in the hands of Audree Mendoza pinch hitting for Barbanente.

With a 1-1 count, Mendoza sent a ball flying high and deep into right field. Beard Field became silent as the home crowd held its breath, hoping for a bottom-of-the-seventh, two-out rally home run.

Stephenson, pressed against the right field fence, grabbed the ball in the center of her glove to end the game.

“We got to come out tomorrow and be ready to go from the first pitch,” Crowell said. “Make some adjustments offensively.”

The Nittany Lions recorded three hits, three walks and nine strikeouts on the day and plan to prioritize the offensive side of the ball tomorrow.

“A new day tomorrow, so we just got to get over today. A tough loss,” Crowell said. “But, we got to bounce back tomorrow and go 1-0.”

Next, the Nittany Lions face off against the Wolverines in Game 2 of their final home stand on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 1 p.m.

Julia Henry is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her please email jbh6443@psu.edu.