March 7, 2008
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Penn State University softball team (7-5) used four runs in the fifth and sixth to come from behind against St. Joseph's University (1-8) in PSU's opening game of the USF Under Armour Invitational. The Nittany Lions began their second game against Jacksonville University but were halted after the top of the second due to weather.
In the first game senior Rebecca Bautista (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove) came up as a pitch-hitter in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and the Nittany Lions down 2-0. Showing her experience Bautista sliced a hit up the middle scoring two runs and tying the game at 2-2.
The Nittany Lions would get two more hits and two more runs in the sixth to go up 4-2 and with the pitching of redshirt-freshman Jackie Hill (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) they would not give up another run.
Junior Sam Hovanec (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) led the squad going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI while Bautista was 1-for-2 with two RBI. The final RBI went to Hill who was 1-for-1 with an RBI.
Hill pitched 3.1 innings in relief picking up the win while striking out three. Senior Jen Reynolds pitched the first 3.2 innings with a no-decision and two strikeouts.
The Nittany Lions will return to action tomorrow, March 8, at 9:30 a.m. as they resume their match-up with Jacksonville.