By Ryan Connors

A Shannon Bustillos’ two-run walk-off homer gave Maryland softball the 7-6 win against Penn State Saturday.

The senior catcher’s home run was her only hit on the day, but it was all the Terps needed. Bustillos stepped up to the plate with the Terps trailing 6-5, but she hit a no-doubter on the first pitch of the at-bat to secure the victory.

Penn State took an early 4-0 lead in the first inning on an Alyssa VanDerveer grand slam. The lead lasted until the fourth inning, when Juli Strange, playing third base, hit a solo homer to tie it up.

Lindsey Shmeiser hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the first on the first pitch she saw, narrowing the deficit to 4-1.

The Terps closed the gap further in the second on a line-drive triple down the right-field line by Strange that scored Bridget Hawvermale. A Kylie Datil single drove in Strange to make it 4-3.

Penn State scored in the fifth on a single by Macy Jones and in the seventh when Lexie Kneif scored on a Hannah Dewey wild pitch to make it 6-4 Penn State.

Kaitlyn Shmeiser pitched 6.1 innings and allowed all six runs scored by the Nittany Lions, five of them earned. She settled down nicely after giving up the first-inning grand slam, shutting Penn State out for the next three innings before allowing runs in the fifth and seventh. The senior walked two and struck out three on the day.

Jessica Cummings, an Owings, Maryland native, started for Penn State and pitched into the sixth inning before being taken out after walking Shmeiser and allowing a Hannah Dewey single.

The all-time series between the two teams is now at 9-3 in favor of Penn State.
Maryland will conclude the series against Penn State Sunday at 11:00 at the Maryland Softball Stadium.