March 25, 2009
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - On a rainy afternoon in Pittsburgh, the Penn State softball team took the Panthers to extra innings, but fell by a score of 2-1. Penn State is now 9-14 while Pitt improves to 14-9. Senior centerfielder Sam Hovanec (Pittsburgh, Pa.) went 3-for-4 in the effort while freshman pitcher Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) tied her season and career best in fanning 12 batters.
Penn State threatened in the top of the second with the bases loaded and two outs, but a strike out retired the Lions at bat. Pitt struck first in its half of the inning as Kristen Cheesebrew ripped a triple to right field and Niki Cognigni hit a double down the left line with one out. The Lions minimized the damage with a strike out and a pop fly to end the inning.
Solid defense from the infield combined with great pitching kept Pitt scoreless for the next five frames. The Lions tied it up in the top of the seventh as freshman catcher Danee Collett (Orange, Calif.) hit her second home run in as many games. No one else scored for Penn State, and in the bottom of the frame Akamine combined a fly out with striking out her 11th and 12th batters of the game to send the contest to extra innings.
Once again, the Lions found themselves on every base with two outs in the top of the eighth. Unfortunately, they didn't connect as a fly out to left field ended their half of the inning.
A fielding error allowed Ashley Amistade access to first. She followed to steal second and reached third on a single by Reba Tutt with two outs. As the rain kept falling, Akamine lost control of a pitch and Amistade scored an unearned run to win the game.
Akamine took the loss becoming 4-7 in the circle while Alyssa O'Connell took the win.
The nightcap of the double header was cancelled due to inclement weather and deteriorating field conditions.
Penn State will resume Big Ten play with its home opener against No. 10 Northwestern this weekend. The first pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Saturday at Nittany Lion Field.