April 20, 2010
Game One: • Watch Live
Game Two: • Watch Live
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Nittany Lion softball team (26-14, 5-5 Big Ten) will face the Big Ten's first-place team in No. 2/2 Michigan (33-5, 9-0 Big Ten) on Wednesday for a doubleheader in Ann Arbor, Mich. starting at 4:00 p.m. Both games are on BigTenNetwork.com as Penn State will try to snap a two-game skid with an upset of the Wolverines.
Penn State visits Ann Arbor for the first time since 2005 when the Nittany Lions took down the Wolverines, 1-0, the same year Michigan won the Big Ten's only NCAA Championship. PSU is currently experiencing a five-game losing streak to Michigan, who has won 25 of its past 26 games this season. Penn State is currently in a stretch of 12 games starting with the No. 18/20 Illinois series in which the Nittany Lions will play 10 games against currently ranked and/or 2009 NCAA teams including No. 2/2 Michigan, Iowa, Northwestern and No. 20/24 Ohio State.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
(26-14, 5-5 Big Ten)
at
#2/2 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
(33-5, 9-0 Big Ten)
Games #41-42: April 21, 2010 • 4 p.m. (DH) • Wilpon Softball Complex • Ann Arbor, Mich.
GAME DAY
VENUE: Alumni Field at Wilpon Family Complex (2,800)
STREAMING VIDEO/AUDIO: BigTenNetwork.com
TALENT: TBA
SERIES RECORD vs. MICH: Penn State trails 42-7
NEXT SERIES: Saturday-Sunday, Apr. 24-25 vs. Iowa (1 p.m./Noon)
GAME STORIES
• The Nittany Lions look to upset the Wolverines in a doubleheader on Wednesday
• Penn State will try to hold the league's best offense (.317, 54 HR) at bay with the conference's second best pitching staff (2.11 ERA, .211 BAA)
• UM boasts a 7-0 record against common opponents while PSU is 5-4
• Michigan enters with a 12-game winning streak and has won 25 of the last 26 games
• Nittany Lions travel to Ann Arbor for the first time since 2005
• Penn State is ranked 59th in RPI, Michigan is second
• Ashley Griffith named Penn State's female McCoy Award recipient (4/16), scored only two runs against Illiois last weekend
• Nittany Lions were swept 4-0 and 3-2 to #18/20 Illinois this past weekend
• Lisa Akamine has posted a 1.14 ERA since Feb. 19 while winning 13 games
• Penn State welcomes Iowa on Blue-White Weekend for two-game set on Apr. 24-25
GAME NOTES
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES: Michigan enters Wednesday's doubleheader on a 12-game winning streak, while winning 25 of the past 26 games. The Wolverines' last loss came on Mar. 20, a 5-2 loss against then-No. 19 Texas. Nine of the past 14 games for Michigan have come in run-rule fashion including a 15-0, five-inning demolition of Northwestern on Sunday. The Wolverines boast a pair of aces in Jordan Taylor (17-2, 1.27 ERA, 204 K) and Nikki Nemitz (14-3, 1.66 ERA, 116 K). The duo has combined to throw 14 of the team's 15 shutouts altogether, holding opponents to a .172 batting average against. At the plate, Michigan is just as powerful, ranking in the top 10 in most NCAA categories. The team bats .317 and has belted 54 home runs, with three hitters gathering 11 or more four baggers. Maggie Viefhaus, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week after a 6-for-7 showing last weekend vs. Northwestern, bats .405, slugs .874 and gets on base at a .521 clip with 45 hits, 45 runs, seven doubles and 13 homers to go along with 36 RBI. Dorian Shaw has a team-best 47 RBI and a league-high 15 homers this season with three doubles to her credit. Four Wolverine hitters boast averages of .321 or better, but one, Steph Kirkpatrick has missed the past few games at shortstop due to injury. Every one in the Michigan lineup bats .259 or better and only one Wolverine gets on base a rate lower than .320.
For Taylor's and Nemitz's numbers against Penn State check out the complete game notes.
SERIES HISTORY:  Penn State has had its struggles with one of the best programs in the country, dropping the last five games in the overall series. It's not as though Robin Petrini's charges haven't given the Wolverines good games though. In fact, prior to the five-game skid, the Lions took four of five from 2005-07, including a win over the Wolverines during Michigan's NCAA title run in `05. That was a 2-1 win, the last time these two teams met in Ann Arbor.  Due to rainy conditions in 2007, the two teams did not meet in their two scheduled games. UM holds a 42-7 overall record in the series, but six of those seven wins over the Wolverines have come during the Petrini era. The Lions are 2-18 in Ann Arbor all-time and will try to avenge an 11-3 and 9-1 doubleheader sweep in Happy Valley a year ago.
COMMON OPPONENTS: Five opponents have faced each Michigan and Penn State with UM holding a 7-0 record and Penn State a 5-4 mark. Both teams swept aside Wisconsin, while Michigan took two from Minnesota, Penn State just one. Michigan beat Southern Illinois 10-2, Penn State 1-0, while UM took a 7-1 game from Illinois and Penn State dropped two to the Illini. Penn State split two games with Central Michigan and UM beat the Chippewas 8-0 in a mid-week home clash last week.
ILLINI SETBACKS: Penn State ran into the buzz saw that was the Illini starting pitcher Monica Perry. Perry was on top of her game allowing just one Nittany Lion hit, a two-out seventh-inning double to Lisa Akamine in a 4-0 PSU loss on April 17. Three second-inning unearned runs gave No. 18/20 Illinois the win despite a 10-strikeout performance by starter Jackie Hill. On April 18, The Illini jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a sacrifice fly and a solo home run. On the sac fly, Penn State appealed to third that the runner left early, but it was denied. In the fourth inning, Ashley Griffith got on with a single to right field and with a Danee Collett sacrifice bunt that was thrown away into right field, Griffith advanced to third and Collett attempted to take second.  The subsequent throw to second was in the dirt and got away from the bag, allowing Griffith to score and cut the lead in half at 2-1. After another Illini solo home run in the fifth gave UI a 3-1 lead, Griffith got on base again in the sixth. She was sacrificed over by Akamine and Lauren Yao ripped a two-out RBI single up the middle to cut the lead to one again at 3-2. PSU attempted to mount a rally in the seventh, but Perry was up to the task and stranded a Nittany Lion runner at first to end the ball game.
GRIFFITH EARNS MCCOY HONOR: Senior outfield Ashley Griffith was named Penn State's female Ernest B. McCoy Award recipient on April 16. The award is presented annually to the top male and top female student-athlete who combine successful athletic participation with academic excellence. McCoy was PSU's athletic director and Dean of the College of Physical Education from 1952-70, his name adorns the natatorium. The men's recipient was soccer forward Jason Yiesley, who was named the conference's most outstanding offensive player and drafted by FC Dallas of the MLS.
AKAMINE BRINGS HER "A" GAME: Sophomore pitcher Lisa Akamine had an admittedly rough start to her season. In her first outing, she was knocked around for eight hits, eight earned runs, three doubles and two homers on February 12 vs. Colorado State in just three innings of work. In her next start, she gave up three earned runs and nine hits in a win over UTSA (Feb. 13), but faltered the next day against Nebraska, giving up a one-run lead in the sixth, allowing five earned runs. After a four-run 6.2 inning relief appearance against Western Kentucky on Feb. 19, Akamine's numbers sat at 7.24 in earned run average, a record at 1-2 with over 31 hits against in just 19 innings. Starting with a two-inning relief appearance against Utah State, Akamine has been resilient and arguably Penn State's most consistent pitcher. The Escondido, Calif. native has started 12 games since Feb. 19, winning 11 of those games, en route to an 14-3 overall record and a more respectable 2.13 overall ERA. Akamine has tossed 89 innings going 13-1 in that span with a paltry 1.02 ERA, winning Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors on March 29. Coming into this week's series, Akamine has won eight starts in a row and nine straight decisions.
For Akamine's breakdown, check out the complete game notes
MICHIGAN STATE SPLIT: The Nittany Lions struggled in a Game One 1-0 eight-inning loss to Michigan State to find any offense, supplying three runners in scoring positition during the game, but not sending any of them home. In the circle, Lisa Akamine posted a career day with 14 strikeouts, the second most in school history. The sophomore hurler also matched her career-high in innings pitched with eight, while walking none, but three consecutive hits in extra innings doomed the Lions to a loss. In Game Two, the bottom of the order saved the squad offensively. Lauren Yao, batting ninth, ripped her first extra-base hit of the season, a leadoff triple down the right field line in the third inning. Cassidy Bell drove her home with a sacrifice fly and knotted the score at one. The Nittany Lions would generate more leadoff offense in the fifth inning, this time from the eight spot in Desi Giordano. The junior third baseman took a 2-2 pitch deep over the center field wall for the deciding run, her team-leading sixth homer of the season and a 2-1 Penn State win. Jackie Hill went the distance in the circle, scattering three hits, one walk and striking out nine for her first win since Mar. 14.
WISCONSIN SWEEP: Penn State captured its first Big Ten sweep of the season when it beat Wisconsin, 3-1 and 3-0, on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. It was the fourth and fifth straight times PSU beat the Badgers and the wins gave Penn State a four-game winning streak. Lisa Akamine pitched in both games, earning two wins while pitching 10 innings overall and allowing only one run. The sophomore hurler also came up with a big two-run RBI single on Sunday to help herself, while Jackie Hill picked up the save in Saturday's game. Ashley Griffith added a pair of RBI singles to left field and went 3-for-3 on Sunday afternoon. It was the team's first Big Ten sweep since last year's 2009 series against Wisconsin on 4/11-12.
ANOTHER MIDWEEK SPLIT: Penn State returned its current form of slipping in the first half of a doubleheader before winning the second game when the Lions took on Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 6-1 lead through the first six and a half innings before a Penn State last-ditch rally fell short, eventually dooming PSU to a 6-3 loss. The Nittany Lions bounced back, pouncing on the Panthers in Game Two with three runs in the bottom of the first, supplying all the offense sophomore hurler Lisa Akamine would need. Akamine went the distance allowing just a seventh-inning solo home run en route to her seventh straight win in a start. Akamine is now 12-3 on the season with the 5-1 win over Pittsburgh, doubling her win total from a year ago (six).
FIRST BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARD FOR AKAMINE: Sophomore hurler Lisa Akamine garnered her first Big Ten Pitcher of the Week award on Monday, March 29 for her excellent performances in the circle against Saint Francis and Minnesota.  Akamine went 2-0, pitching 18.1 innings with 23 strikeouts, nine hits against and just two earned runs allowed. Akamine was especially impressive against Saint Francis with an 11.1 inning performance in which she allowed just five hits with no walks and struck out 14 batters.
OFFICIAL RADIO BROADCAST HOME:   On Thursday, March 25, Penn State announced the radio home of Nittany Lion softball for the remainder of the 2010 season.  Eight home games will be broadcast on 1390 AM WRSC in the State College area. All of those games will also be streamed on All-Access for free so that fans can tune in and listen. As scheduled, March 27th's game against Minnesota, Game One vs. Pittsburgh (Apr. 6), both Michigan State games (Apr. 14) will kick off the radio slate. Other games to be broadcast are against Illinois (Apr. 17), Iowa (Apr. 24), Syracuse Game One (Apr. 27) and Ohio State (May 8). ComRadio traveled with the team on March 31 to Kent State for a doubleheader, the first away broadcast by a Penn State crew to do a softball game. Other radio additions may be announced at a later date, specifically for away games. Combined with the two Big Ten Network television broadcasts and two bigtennetwork.com webcasts, at least 24 of the final 27 games will have live coverage from the broadcast booth.
Penn State's new stadium is set to open in 2011. |
HOME OF THE FUTURE:  Friday, March 19, 2010 will go down as one of the defining days in Nittany Lion softball history as the Penn State Board of Trustees approved final funding towards the New Nittany Lion Softball Park project. Groundbreaking took place on March 28, 2010 for the 1,084-seat facility that will have all the bells and whistles, which will represent one of the finest facilities in the Big Ten and in the country. Complete with new offices, clubhouses, locker rooms, training areas, batting cages, bullpens, permanent seating, concourse, concessions, bathrooms, dugouts and a brand new press box, the new stadium serve its patrons, coaches and student-athletes as second-to-none. "We are tremendously excited of the Board of Trustees' approval," head coach Robin Petrini said on March 19. "We have been waiting for this day for a long time. Everyone is looking forward to being a part of this project and the student-athletes can't wait to play in one of the best facilities in the nation." Plans call for the stadium to be energy efficient and responsible by design, earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. An official groundbreaking ceremony will take place May 7, 2010.
Pitcher Jackie Hill |
HILL EARNS BIG TEN PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOD: Senior Jackie Hill won her second Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor after compiling a 3-1 mark over the 3/13-14 weekend for Penn State. The senior tossed three complete games, two of which were shutouts, and struck out 31 hitters, allowing just 12 hits and nine walks through 26 innings of work for an 0.81 WHIP. Hill allowed just three earned runs in her four appearances this week for an 0.81 ERA. In appearances against Kennesaw State and Southern Illinois, Hill combined for 18 strikeouts and no runs on seven hits in complete-game victories. She improved her record to 10-4 on the year and had a season ERA of 1.43 following the Mar. 14 games.
400 THE ALMA MATER WAY: Head coach Robin Petrini achieved a milestone achievement when Penn State beat Utah State, 6-1, on Saturday. Petrini, a 1983 graduate of Utah State, where she won two AIAW National Championships as a shortstop, also picked up win No. 401 against San Diego State later that day. She was greeted by a cookie cake and balloons at the hotel to commemorate the achievement. Already the all-time leading coach in wins at Penn State, Petrini has also led the squad to more NCAA appearances (seven) in her 13 years than the program had before her arrival (two). She'll go for win No. 402 against Towson, the team she beat for her first career win back in 1997.
HOTEL ENCANTO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:  Sophomore catcher Danee Colett earned mention on the 2010 Hotel Encanto Invitational All-Tournament Team.  Collett hit a team-high .471 for the weekend with eight hits, one homer and a double, while driving in seven RBI. For the weekend she got on base at a clip of .500 and slugged .706 while posting a nearly flawless performance on behind the plate (40 putouts, zero errors, one passed ball).
BIG STAGE, BIG TEN NETWORK: The Big Ten Network announced its annual televised softball schedule on Feb. 18 and at least four Penn State games will be broadcast live on television or through the network's website, BigTenNetwork.com. Penn State's games at Michigan (4/21) will be on the BTN's website, while the two matchups at Northwestern (5/1-2). There's a possibility that PSU's games at Indiana (5/14-15) could be picked up as part of the Big Ten Network's wild card weekend.
Left Fielder Ashley Griffith |
GRIFFITH HAS CLASS: Senior outfielder Ashley Griffith is one of just 30 NCAA softball student-athletes to be named a Lowe's Senior CLASS Award candidate.  The award is "An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in SchoolTM, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: classroom, community, character and competition." Additionally, Griffith is one of just five Big Ten softball student-athletes to be a Lowe's Senior CLASS Award candidate. Finalists were named on March 29, but Griffith was not one of the 10 candidates for inclusion on that list.
PSULIONSOFTBALL ON TWITTER: Nittany Lion softball is now on Twitter. Keep up to date with inside information and exclusive access @PSULionSoftball.
NITTANY LIONS ON YOUTUBE: Check out exclusive interviews after every game on GoPSUsports.com and the GoPSUTV YouTube Channel (Youtube.com/GoPSUTV) and click on the softball playlist on the right side of the page.
NEXT TIME OUT: Penn State continues its difficult stretch of schedule as the Nittany Lions return home to host second-place Iowa on Blue-White Weekend. The first game is Saturday, April 24 at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday's game is at Noon. The Sunday game can be found on 1390 AM WRSC and GoPSUsports.com All-Access for free. Both matchups can be followed through Twitter (@PSULionSoftball) with live stats on GameTracker.
For more information the Penn State Sport Camps 2010 visit PSU Sport Camps
For complete coverage of Penn State softball please visit GoPSUsports.com/sports/w-softbl.
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--NITTANY LIONS--