Feb. 14, 2010
LAS CRUCES, N.M.--The Nittany Lion softball team concluded its stay at the Hotel Encanto Invitational with an 10-6 loss to Nebraska on Sunday at the NMSU Softball Complex. Penn State smashed three home runs but it wasn't enough to overcome a six-run sixth inning by Nebraska.
Senior Kimi Wong (Goleta, Calif.) started her first game of the 2010 season and struggled in the first inning, allowing a run after a pair of walks and an RBI single. Wong would help herself out in the top of the second by knocking a 2-1 pitch over the leftfield fence to tie things up at one.
Nebraska responded in the bottom half of the second after Wong retired the first two batters successfully, but Desi Giordano (West Caldwell, N.J.) threw away a grounder sending the Husker batter to second. After a walk, a two-out RBI single to right drove home a run for Nebraska for a 2-1 lead after two innings.
The game turned into a slugfest from there on out as Penn State struck for four tallies in the top of the fourth inning behind homers by Kailyn Johnson (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Mary Ostman (Northbrook, Ill.). Johnson's homer to straightaway center was her second of the weekend, while Ostman hit her first homer of her collegiate career. Ostman would add a double later in the game, notching her first multi-extra base hit game.
Wong got into trouble in the bottom half when the bases were loaded with two outs and Nebraska's strongest hitter, Ashley Guile, at the plate. Guile ripped a shot down the right field line for a bases clearing double, tying the score at five.
The Nittany Lions wasted no time in responding and for the 20th time in 30 innings, Penn State managed to get on the board. Ashley Griffith (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) knocked a triple into the right center gap and with two outs, a slow grounder by Danee Collett (Orange, Calif.) was thrown away by the NU shortstop, scoring Griffith.
Wong gave way to Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) after four innings, but gave up two runs in the bottom of the sixth when Guile scored a bases clearing double to center field for a 7-6 NU lead. Two batters later, after a passed ball, sent a runner to third and a single made it 8-6. The next batter smacked a two-run homer extending the lead to 10-6. NU would go on to add another before the inning would end, making it an 11-6 margin for the Huskers.
Penn State couldn't muster anything in the bottom of the seventh, going down in order for the final 11-6 score.
The Nittany Lions continue its early-season tournament schedule when they travel to San Diego State's Campbell/Cartier Classic in California. Live stats will be run through Gametracker and live commentary on Twitter (@PSULionSoftball).
--NITTANY LIONS--