March 24, 2008
OXFORD, Ohio - The Penn State University softball team (19-8) used a season-high 13 runs to capture their third tournament title of the season defeating the Miami (Ohio) (9-14), 13-4. In the first game of the day the Nittany Lions defeated the penguins of Youngstown State (1-10), 5-1.
Junior Sam Hovanec (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) blasted two homeruns in the Miami game to tie a single-game record at PSU that was set last season by Shana Madura (Slate Hill, N.Y./Minisink Valley) versus Bucknell. Hovanec led the squad going 2-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs scored. Junior's Danielle Kinely (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad), Kayce Zielinski (Arlington, Texas/Kennedale) and redshirt-freshman Jackie Hill (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) all added two hits a piece. Hill added three RBIs while Kinley and Madura each had two.
Eight Nittany Lions in all added hits in the win over their former assistant coach's Miami Redhawks. Senior Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif./San Pedro), who played two years under the direction of Kelly Schoenly, picked up the win going 7.0 innings striking out six.
In the first game, Esparza and Kinley led at the plate picking up two hits a piece. Kinley went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Esparza went 2-for-4. Hill picked up the win going 4.0 innings striking out nine while Esparza came in for the save going 3.0 innings without giving up a hit and striking out four.
The Nittany Lions will next be in action Tuesday, March 25 at 3:00 p.m. as they travel to Bucknell University for a non-conference doubleheader.