Pitt
15-26
Penn State
20-21
Pitt Offense Comes Alive in 16-8 Win Over Penn State
4/15/2025 10:04:00 PM | Softball
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Pitt Softball team used a season-high five home runs en route to a 16-8 run-rule victory over Penn State, Tuesday night at Beard Field. The Panthers tallied a season-high 16 runs on 11 hits to record their first win over the Nittany Lions since 2019.
Pitt had three players record multi-hit efforts as Tieley Vaughn led the Panthers' offense by going 2-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored. The Panthers had five different players record a home run as Vaughn, Kaitlyn Brannstrom, KK Esparza, Camryn Murphy and Shelby Frazier all went yard for the Panthers.
Pitt got off to a hot start after a 30-minute weather delay, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Kylie Griggs and Brannstrom drew back-to-back walks before another quick delay of game was called for field maintenance. Vaughn stepped into the batter's box and gave the Panthers the lead with three-run home run to left center field.
The Nittany Lions answered in the bottom of the inning by scoring two runs on back-to-back doubles to make the score 3-2 after the opening inning. Penn State added another six runs in the bottom of the second to take an 8-3 lead.
The Panthers answered in the top of the third inning, matching the six runs to retake the lead at 9-8. Murphy led off the inning with a double and later scored on an Amanda "Tuta" Ramirez single. Esparza made it a one-run game with a three-run homer just over the left field wall. Griggs scored on a passed ball to even the score 8-8 before Brannstrom capped off the inning with a solo home run to right field to take a 9-8 lead after three innings.
Kendall Brown and Bekah Duck combined to hold the Nittany Lions scoreless through the final four frames. Brown allowed just one earned run on four hits with one walk, over 2.2 innings. Duck issued just two walks in the final 2.0 innings to seal the win.
The Panthers added another six runs in the top of the fifth inning, scoring on singles from Ahmari Braden and Vaughn. Murphy hit a two-run homer to right center field before the Panthers drew back-to-back walks to set up a three-run, pinch hit homer from Shelby Frazier.
Vaughn sealed the win for the Panthers, scoring the final run in the top of the sixth inning on an Ana Hernandez groundout to the shortstop.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to Pittsburgh to host No. 12 Virginia Tech in a three-game series, beginning Thursday at 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brown, Kendall (2-1)
L: Mady Volpe (7-11)
Batting:
2B: Murphy, Camryn 1
HR: Brannstrom, Kaitlyn 1 ; Vaughn, Tieley 1 ; Murphy, Camryn 1 ; Frazier, Shelby 1 ; Esparza, KK 1
RBI: Brannstrom, Kaitlyn 1 ; Vaughn, Tieley 4 ; Murphy, Camryn 2 ; Hernandez, Ana 1 ; Ramirez, Amanda "Tuta" 1 ; Frazier, Shelby 3 ; Esparza, KK 3
SH: Murphy, Camryn 1 ; Martinez, Desirae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Griggs, Kylie 2 ; Brannstrom, Kaitlyn 2 ; Vaughn, Tieley 3 ; Murphy, Camryn 2 ; Hernandez, Ana 2 ; Martinez, Desirae 1 ; Frazier, Shelby 2 ; Esparza, KK 1 ; Braden, Ahmari 1
SB: Braden, Ahmari 1
HBP: Esparza, KK 1
Batting:
2B: Maddie Gordon 1 ; Meagan Ricks 1
HR: Brooke Klosowicz 1
RBI: Natalie Lieto 1 ; Haylie Brunson 1 ; Brooke Klosowicz 3 ; Maddie Gordon 1 ; Meagan Ricks 1 ; Michela Barbanente 1
SH: Michela Barbanente 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Natalie Lieto 2 ; Haylie Brunson 1 ; Brooke Klosowicz 1 ; Maddie Gordon 2 ; Jenna Nelson 1 ; Kaylie Walters 1
SB: Maddie Gordon 1 ; Meagan Ricks 1
HBP: Maddie Gordon 1
