COLLEGE PARK, Md.—Shannon Bustillos hit a walk-off two-run home run to lead the Maryland softball team past Penn State, 7-6, on Saturday. The comeback victory marks the Terps (25-19, 7-7 Big Ten) sixth walk-off of the season and earns the team its third series victory in Big Ten play.
For the second consecutive game, Penn State opened the scoring in the top of the first. The Lions jumped out to an early 4-0 lead off an Alyssa VanDerveer grand slam.
Maryland chipped away at the Penn State lead, getting one back in the bottom of the first off a Lindsey Schmeiser solo home run. The homer marks the junior's tenth of the season and extends her hit streak to 21 games.
In the second, Juli Strange cut the lead to 4-2 with a stand-up triple down the right field line to score Bridget Hawvermale. Kylie Datil brought Strange home with an RBI single bringing the Terrapins within one through two.
Both teams went quietly in the third, before Strange tied the game at four with a solo-shot to straight away center in the bottom of the fourth.
Penn State retook the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring an unearned run off a Mollie Sorenson single. The Lions then extended its lead to 6-4, added a run in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the frame, the Terps started its comeback as L. Schmeiser drew a walk and Hannah Dewey singled to right. Corey Schwartz executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Erin Pronobis followed with a sacrifice fly to score L. Schmeiser, bringing Bustillos to the plate. With two-outs the Anaheim, California native mailed a two-run shot to left, giving the home team the victory.
Hannah Dewey (5-8) got the win, pitching a perfect two-thirds innings. Kaitlyn Schmeiser got the start, pitching six and a third innings, yielding five earned runs and striking out three.
Strange continued her hot-streak, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and scoring twice, while L. Schmeiser went 2-for-3 herself with one RBI and scored twice.
Maryland goes for the series sweep on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in the Maryland Softball Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network and marks the Terps debut on BTN.
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