COLLEGE PARK, Md., May 2, 2007?? Junior catcher Hollee Haines (Riverside, Calif.) tallied three hits, including two doubles, in the Nittany Lions' sweep of the Terrapins. The Lions dominated game one, 6-0, with seven hits and five RBI. In game two, Maryland took a 3-1 lead, but Penn State battled back to score three runs in the sixth for a 4-3 win. With today's wins, the Lions improve to 26-20 on the year.
Game One
Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) led the Lions to a 6-0 game one win after hitting a two-run homer and her team-leading 17 th double of the season. Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.) struck out seven in the four-hit shutout for Penn State, improving to 12-11 on the season.
The Lions took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after senior Meghan Wolfer (Northampton, Pa.) gave Penn State its first base runner when she laid down a perfect bunt down the left field line. With two outs, Kinley stepped to the plate and crushed the ball over the fence for her third homer of the season.
In the third inning, Maryland had a chance to cut into the lead after Jenny Belak stole second and Amber Jackson tried to steal home, but a throw from second baseman Kayce Zielinski (Arlington, Texas) to Haines kept the Terps off the board.
Penn State added to its lead in the fifth when Haines got the hitting started with a double deep to left center. With two outs, sophomore Shana Madura (Slate Hill, N.Y.) belted her fifth homer of the season, a two RBI shot, to give the Lions a 4-0 cushion.
Wolfer got the sixth inning off to a good start when she bunted safely to reach first. Kinley added to her season RBI total with her 17 th double, a shot to left field, to score Wolfer. The sophomore outfielder now has 31 RBI this season, including three in this game.
Madura led off the seventh with her second hit of the game, a single to left field. She advanced to second on an Ashley Griffith (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) sacrifice bunt, but two quick outs ended the inning. Maryland went three-up, three-down to end game one of the doubleheader.
Game Two
Ashley Griffith (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) and Hollee Haines both tallied hits in the first two innings, but the Lions could not plate any runs. In the bottom of the second, Maryland's Jennifer Wellborn hit a solo homer to give the Terps a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, Meghan Wolfer led off with her third successive bunt of the day. Ashley Esparza then laid down a sacrifice bunt of her own to move Wolfer to second. An error by the third baseman on a ground ball by Danielle Kinley put runners on first and second. Jen Acunto (Hollywood, Fla.) ripped a single to right field to load the bases for Haines. The junior catcher earned a trip to first after being hit by a pitch and Wolfer came home to tie the game at one each.
Maryland took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when shortstop Amber Jackson hit a two-run homer that bounced off the fence and out of the park.
The Lions used a big sixth inning to rally and take the lead. Esparza hit a single to lead off the inning and senior Kari Lucas (Centre Hall, Pa.) came in to pinch run for her. Danielle Kinley walked to move Lucas to second. Haines then stepped up and cracked a two-RBI double to the left field wall, scoring Lucas and Kinley to tie the game at three apiece. The next batter, Kayce Zielinski, singled up the middle to advance Haines to third. A sacrifice fly to left field from pitcher Jenn Reynolds (Clovis, Calif.) brought Haines home and gave Penn State a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish.
Jenn Reynolds picked up the win in the circle for Penn State, improving to 13-8 on the season.
Penn State now travels to Columbus, Ohio for two key Big Ten games with the Buckeyes. A single win over Ohio State will cement the Lions' place in the Big Ten Tournament. Game one of the series will be played at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 and game two will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 6.