Feb. 14, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Penn State softball team continued their dominance at the Carolina Classic with a 5-0 win over George Washington. Penn State is now 4-2 on the season while George Washington falls to 0-2.
Penn State wasted no time coming out of the gates scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman pitcher Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) reached first on a walk and worked her way to third in the next two at-bats after a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Griffith and a ground out to shortstop by Danielle Kinley. Power hitter Desi Giordano (West Caldwell, N.J.) brought her home with a single to left field. Giordano crossed the plate herself on a Jackie Hill single up the middle.
In the bottom of the third, the Nittany Lions extended their lead as Hill scored on a Kayce Zielinksi (Arlington, Texas) single to left field bringing the score to 3-0. Akamine scored for the second time in the bottom of the fourth on a Kinley single.
Giordano singled up the middle in the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A Sam Hovanec single up the middle allowed Giordano to score her second run of the game making the score 5-0 in favor of the Nittany Lions.
Giordano and Zielinski each went 3-for-4. Akamine went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored while striking-out 12 batters in the shutout.
The Nittany Lions will return to Anderson Stadium Sunday at 10 p.m. to face No. 9 California before a match-up with No. 23 and host North Carolina to conclude the tournament.