| Danielle Kinley |
- Box Score
IOWA CITY, Iowa; April 21, 2007 - Despite scattering 10 hits over two days, Penn State??s softball team was held scoreless again for the second game of a two-game series, losing 7-0 to Iowa. Penn State is now 33-17 (8-4), while the Hawkeyes raise their record to 33-17 (8-4 Big Ten). The Nittany Lions head to Illinois for a doubleheader Sunday starting at 11 a.m. CT.
Hawkeye catcher Emily Nichols, who came within feet of a homerun in Friday night??s game, added the extra distance on Saturday to break open the scoring in the top of the third inning. Nichols homerun over the leftfield fence was her team-leading 11th on the year and put the Hawkeyes up 1-0.
After a pair of walks in the top of the fourth inning, Iowa got on the board again when Mindy Heidgerken laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score leftfielder Rachel West from third for the 2-0 Iowa lead. Head coach Robin Petrini made a switch in the circle after the next batter also got on safely, replacing junior Jenn Reynolds (Clovis, Calif.), who struck out five in 3 and 2/3 innings of work, with classmate Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.). Esparza recorded a great outing despite taking the loss the night before and struck out the next Hawkeye batter to end the inning. After the squeeze, Iowa took the 2-0 lead down the home stretch.
In spite of back-to-back singles from sophomore Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) and junior shortstop Jen Acunto (Hollywood, Fla.) to start the bottom of the fourth inning, the next three hitters in Penn State??s line-up went down in order still leaving the Lions down two runs with three innings to play.
Playing as the away squad in the second game of the series due to Big Ten rules, Iowa added some insurance in the top of the seventh inning. A double to leftfield from pinch hitter Quinn Morelock started things off for the Hawkeyes. A fielder??s choice then moved baserunner Heidgerken to third base and gave Iowa runners on the corners. Lindsey Diggman stole second and the next batter, Erin Riemersma grounded out to third base to give the Lions one out. Next up, rightfielder Taylor Leichsenring drove home Heidgerken on her fielder??s choice to second base. A wild pitch scored another run when an intentional walk went wrong and Digmann was able to cross the plate to put the Hawkeyes up 4-0 with only one out. Nichols eventually drew the intentional walk after homering in the first inning, but Hawkeye designated player Summer Downs made the Lions pay, sending a log homerun over the leftfield wall. The three RBI shot made the score 7-0 Iowa.
| Jen Acunto |
In their last chance, Penn State couldn??t turn two baserunners in the bottom of the seventh inning into a comeback and dropped to 3-3 in the conference with the loss.
Brittany Weil took the win again for Iowa with eight strikeouts going to 15-4 overall. Reynolds took the loss despite five strikeouts, falling to 10-6 on the year.
Junior catcher Hollee Haines led the Lions?? offense, going 2-for-2. Senior Meghan Wolfer (Northampton, Pa.), Kinley and Acunto also had hits for Penn State.
The first pitch in Penn State??s doubleheader with Illinois on Sunday, April 22, will be at 11 a.m. CT. The Nittany Lions return home after their trip to Champaign and play Tuesday, April 24 in the first of eight games in a six-day span. The match-ups 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.