Feb. 25, 2012
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Nittany Lion softball team fell to Notre Dame, 6-3, in the first game of the Carolina Classic on Saturday morning at windy Anderson Field. The Fighting Irish used two three-run innings to thwart a Penn State rally.
In the Penn State (1-4) half of the third inning, Alyssa Renwick (Laurens, S.C.) notched the first of her two hits with a single to leftfield. Lauren Yao (Los Angeles, Calif.) sacrificed her to second and Renwick took third on aggressive base running with one out. Shannon Hutchinson (Sewell, N.J.) followed up with a bunt single and reached second when no one was covering the bag, putting two runners in scoring position. Notre Dame's Laura Winter worked out of the jam by getting two strikeouts.
Notre Dame (2-4) broke the stalemate in the fifth, as a single by Chloe Sagonowich scored Lauren Stuhr from second. The very next batter, Alexa Maldonado, hit her second home run to centerfield to stretch the lead to 3-0.
Penn State quickly responded in the bottom of the fifth as Renwick's bunt single started the rally. Yao's single up the middle moved Renwick to second before Alyssa Sovereign's (La Canada, Calif.) single to left-centerfield scored Renwick as Yao moved up to third beating out the throw. Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) doubled home Yao and Sovereign to tie the game at three.
Notre Dame answered with a three-spot of its own in the top of the sixth propelled by Lauren Stuhr's first home of the year. The three-run shot came off Jordan Wheatley (Troy, Mich.), but two of the runs were charged to Akamine. Akamine went five innings allowing seven hits, five earned runs, while striking out four and walking none.
Penn State was unable to match Notre Dame's output, falling for the fourth straight time as the all-time series with the Fighting Irish evened up at two apiece. Winter finished the game with 12 strikeouts and allowed eight hits with a walk.
Penn State returns to action at Anderson Field tonight at 8:00 p.m. to take on James Madison. The Dukes fell to Minnesota last night, 3-1. GoPSUsports.com will have live stats.
--NITTANY LIONS--