Feb. 28, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The rain let up long enough for the fields to dry out a little as the Penn State softball team returned to the NFCA Leadoff Classic picking up where they left of with Nebraska yesterday afternoon. In a nearly three hour long game, the Huskers came away with the 5-2 win. Penn State is now 5-5 on the season while Nebraska improves to 7-4.
Penn State got started in the top of the second when sophomore shortstop Desi Giordano (West Caldwell, N.J.) blasted a solo homerun over the right field fence.
The Corn Huskers answered with a leadoff single through the left side and proceeded to load the bases with only one out. Jackie Hill then took over pitching duties for Lisa Akamine. Hill secured the second out with a pop fly, but hit the next batter to score Amanda Duran of Nebraska. Penn State minimized the damage as Hill struck out the next batter to close the second inning.
Christana Crivellaro reached first on a walk to leadoff the third inning and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Ashley Griffith brought her to third with two outs. Danielle Kinley then got on base with a walk, but the inning ended when Crivellaro got caught in a run down.
The Huskers once again had the bases loaded with no outs in the third. Heidi Folland send a long ball to center field hitting the wall and allowing Meghan Mullin crossed the plate to give Nebraska a 2-1 lead. Robin Mackin then reached first on a fielders choice as Kayce Zielinski sent the grounder to Danee Collett getting the force out at home. Hill followed striking out the next two batters to end the inning.
Giordano and Hill walked to begin the fourth inning, but the Huskers got the next two outs as Zielinski fell to the infield fly rule and Sam Hovanec flied out to left field. Collett was then walked to load the bases before Nebraksa made a pitching change. Crivellaro got a piece of it, but the second baseman back-peddled to the grass to make the catch.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Darcy Rutherford hit a double to left center. But the Nittany Lions minimized the damage as Hill delivered two more strikeouts and Crivellaro captured a fly ball.
Griffith got things started for Penn State in the fifth with a double to right center. Kinley then stepped up to the place a single to center field bringing Griffith home to tie the game at two as Kinley advanced to second on the throw. As Nebraska tried to pick her off at second, the throw was long allowing Kinley easy access to third. The inning ended as Hill grounded out to first.
The Huskers answered with a Duran solo shot over the center field wall to regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With a runner on first, Collett and Zielinski teamed up again to catch the steal for the second out. The inning ended with a fly out to left field.
The Nittany Lions showed promise in the sixth as the bases were loaded with Hovanec, Collett and Akamine all reaching on walks. But with two outs, Nebraska closed the inning as Griffith grounded out to the pitcher.
With two on and two outs, Nebrasks struck again as Duran ripped a single through the left side to score Haley Long and Rutherford. Duran proceeded to advance to third on a failed attempt to catch Rutherford at home. The inning ended as Collett caught a high floul ball, but the Nittany Lions had their work cut out for them going into the top of the seventh. Unfortunately, the Huskers ended the inning after facing only four Penn State batters.
Hill struck out six batters in 3.2 innings of work to take the loss which brings her to 2-4 on the season. Penn State had four hits throughout the contest as Nebraska scattered seven.
Weather permitting, Penn State will wrap up the classic tomorrow morning with a match up against Long Island at 10 a.m. Fans can follow the action live via Gametracker at www.GoPSUsports.com.