With the Big Ten tournament only one week away, Penn State went into its last regular season contest against Illinois looking to secure its highest possible seeding for its future postseason opportunity.
The Nittany Lions (29-22, 14-8 Big Ten) split their doubleheader with the Fighting Illini (33-20, 11-11 Big Ten) on Saturday, falling 2-1 in game one but following up with a 4-1 victory in game two.
Junior Marlaina Laubach got the start on the mound in game one for the Lions. An ace all season, Laubach had four strikeouts, leading to a pitching duel between her and junior Breanna Wonderly.