LYNCHBURG, Va. – The University of Pennsylvania softball team dropped its game against Penn State, 12-5, on Sunday morning to end the Liberty Classic.

The Quakers drop to 1-4 to begin the year, concluding the trip to Virginia.

Penn kept the game within two runs up until the fifth inning, where Penn State added a run in the top of the fifth and sixth, and ultimately pulled away with three more runs in the top of the seventh.

FINAL: Penn State 12, Penn 5
The Quakers scored first, jumping on the Nittany Lions' starter Mady Volpe. In the first at-bat of the game for Penn, Brianna Brown reached on an error, which was followed by a single by Jade Montgomery. With two runners on, Delaney Smith worked a walk, loading the bases with one out. Katie Reagan singled to right field, bringing in Brown to make the game 1-0. In the top of the second, Penn State put up two runs via a walk, wild pitch and then an error. Haylie Brunson doubled to left, scoring the third run of the inning, as the Nittany Lions led 3-1.

In the bottom of the third, Reagan doubled to right center, scoring Sammy Fenton from first base. Maia Hartley pinch ran for Reagan and advanced to third via a passed ball. Chloe Lesko walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch, allowing Hartley to score from third, tying the game 3-3.

In the top half of the fourth, Penn State scored four runs on six hits with two doubles, one homerun and three singles, to take a 7-3 lead. Riley was knocked out of the game with two outs, as Ella Utschig came in for relief, eventually getting the final out of the top of the fourth. Penn added two runs of their own in the bottom frame with back-to-back singles from Smith and Fenton. Both runners scored after an error at shortstop, as the Quakers cut the deficit, 7-5.

Back-to-back singles and a double-steal started off the top of the fifth inning for the Nittany Lions. A groundout to first scored a run, making the game 8-5.

In the top of the sixth, Liana Jones homered to left extending Penn State's lead 9-5. A single and a double knocked Utschig out of the game, as Kelly Zybura was the third pitcher used by Penn. Back-to-back singles brought in three more runs to close out the scoring for the Nittany Lions at 12 runs. The Red and Blue went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to close out the game.

Quaker Notemeal

• Reagan had two hits, two RBIs and a double, and is batting .636 through the first five games of the season.
• Montgomery, Smith, Fenton, and Dakota Farmer all picked up one hit apiece. Totaling six hits on the day for the Quakers.
• Fenton had two runs scored, while Brown, Smith and Hartley came across to score once.
• Starting pitcher Riley went 3.2 innings, surrendered eight hits, five earned runs and walked two batters.
• Utschig and Zybura combined for 3.1 innings of relief, totaling two strikeouts and five earned runs between the two.
• On the season, Reagan leads the team with seven hits, including two doubles and a triple. Reagan also has three RBIs in 11 at-bats.
• Smith has five hits including a double, in 16 at-bats, hitting .313 in the start to the season.
• Five different Quakers have four hits within the first five games.
• Riley leads the pitching staff with 14 innings pitched in three starts.

Up Next
Penn will head to Texas this coming weekend. The Quakers will take on Lamar for a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday in Beaumont. On Tuesday, March 5, Penn will battle Houston Christian in a double header at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., and will take on Prairie View A&M on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.