| Ashley Esparza |
- Box Score
IOWA CITY, IA.; April 20, 2007 - In a showcase of defensive plays and pitching prowess, Penn State came up just short in the opening game of its series with Iowa Friday night, 1-0. The Nittany Lions are now 21-14 (3-2 Big Ten), while Iowa is 31-17 (7-4 Big Ten).
After several scoreless inning, the Nittany Lions had a very good thing going in the top of the fourth inning when a pair of walks from Hawkeye pitcher Brittany Weil and a single from shortstop Jen Acunto (Hollywood, Fla.), her second of the day, loaded the bases with no outs. A high fly ball to centerfield looked like it might equal an RBI sacrifice fly for junior catcher Hollee Haines (Riverside, Calif.) until centerfielder Mindy Heidgerken made a spot-on throw to get the Lion??s runner at home. With two outs, Acunto stole second base and Shana Madura (Slate Hill, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases again. Weil would hold on however, striking the final Penn State batter out looking and ending a significant threat for the home-standing Hawkeyes.
In the bottom of the inning with one out, Emily Nichols tried to take an Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.) pitch yard, but got just under it. Still a danger to drop in for at least a single, Nittany Lion leftfielder Ashley Griffith (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) went in hot pursuit to the fence. As the crowd got on their feet, Griffith left hers to make a dynamic, jumping grab at the wall, robbing Nichols of the hit and keeping the Hawkeyes off the basepaths.
Iowa threatened to break up the scoreless game in the bottom of the sixth inning when shortstop Erin Reimersma lined a double over sophomore centerfielder Danielle Kinley??s (Carlsbad, Calif.) head. Hawkeye designated player Taylor Leichsenring grounded out, but the Lions?? had no play on Reimersma who moved to third base with just one out. Next up, Nichols wouldn??t be denied this time around, ripping an RBI-single up the middle that scored Reimersma to put Iowa up 1-0. After a strikeout, Colleen McGlaughlin extended the inning with a single to centerfield before Esparza froze Quinn Morelock to end the inning.
| Ashley Griffith |
With three outs remaining to tie or get the go-ahead runs, Penn State sent its eight, nine and one hitters to the plate. Weil continued to pitch well, striking out the first two hitters, but lead-off Griffith was able to make it first with a single to give the Lions another chance. It was not to be, however, as a groundout to the next batter ended the game with a 1-0 deficit for the Lions.
Despite five strikeouts and as many scoreless innings to open the game, Esparza took the loss to fall to 10-8 on the year. Weil fanned six Lion batters to raise her record to 14-4. Penn State returns to Pearl Field tomorrow at noon CT to close out the Iowa series before heading to Champaign, Ill. to meet the Illini. The Sunday doubleheader with Illinois begins at 11 a.m. CT. Live stats are available for all three games.
The Nittany Lions return home on Tuesday, April 24 for the first of eight games in a six-day span. The match-up with Bucknell will be a 6:30 p.m. doubleheader. Wednesday, April 25, Penn State welcomes Akron to town for a 3 p.m. doubleheader before its back to Big Ten action on Friday, April 27 vs. Indiana at 6 p.m. The Hoosiers return to Nittany Lion Field for a noon game to finish the series on Saturday before Purdue comes to Happy Valley on Sunday, April 29, for a doubleheader at noon. Penn State??s seniors Kelsey Francisco, Kari Lucas, Jen Williams and Meghan Wolfer will be honored before Sunday??s games with the Boilermakers. All home games will be available via live audio on www.GoPSUsports.com. Nittany Lion Field is located at the corner of Park Avenue and University Drive. Admission is free to all Penn State softball games.