Feb. 9, 2012
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. --The Nittany Lion softball team is ready to begin its 2012 campaign as it travels to LSU's Tiger Classic beginning Friday night at 7 p.m. ET. Penn State faces host No. 22 LSU on Friday before taking on Louisiana Tech (Saturday at 11 a.m. ET) and No. 15 Michigan (Sunday at 11 a.m. ET). PSU will play LSU on Saturday evening as well at 4:00 p.m. ET.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (0-0)
Tiger Classic: February 10-12 • Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, La.
SCHEDULE
Friday, 7 p.m. vs. LSU:
Saturday, 11 a.m. vs. LT:
Saturday, 4 p.m. vs. LSU:
Sunday, 11 a.m. vs. MICH:
SERIES INFORMATION
VENUE: Tiger Field (1,800)
COVERAGE: GoPSUsports.com GameTracker
ALL-TIME RECORD vs. LSU: 1-2 (Last: 3/1/08, PSU 3-0 at #9 LSU)
ALL-TIME RECORD vs. MICH: 7-46 (Last: 4/20/11, #1 MICH 5-4 at PSU)
ALL-TIME RECORD vs. LT: 0-2 (Last: 5/13/83, LT 2-0 at PSU)
NEXT SERIES: Feb. 26-27 at Carolina Classic; Chapel Hill, N.C.
SERIES STORIES
• Nittany Lions travel to Baton Rouge, La. for the Tiger Classic
• The Lions are 5-4 all-time in Baton Rouge, last visit was in 2008
• Penn State will play three games against ranked foes to start the year
• Cassidy Bell, Lisa Akamine & Alyssa Sovereign earned `11 All-Big Ten honors
• Head coach Robin Petrini returns for 16th year at helm of Nittany Lions
• Penn State returns eight starters from a year ago, including top seven hitters
• The Nittany Lions play rare Big Ten team in non-conference game vs. Michigan
• PSU went a perfect 8-0 in the Fall Ball season
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The 22nd-ranked LSU Tigers return a potent pitching staff from a year ago that went 40-18. Ace Brittany Mack and No. 2 Rachele Fico combined for 34 of 40 victories last season to lead a staff ERA of 2.21. Offensively, sophomore Simone Heyward set the table, leading team in average (.294) and runs (39). Ashley Langoni and Tammy Wray are the run producers, combining for 71 RBI in 2011.
SCOUTING THE LADY TECHSTERS
Louisiana Tech looks to improve upon its 17-39 overall record last season by continuing the momentum garnered by its 2011 WAC Tournament Finals appearance. The Techsters return a young group of pitchers that threw just 131.1 of the team's 378.1 innings last year with a combined 6.02 ERA and allowed hitters to bat .355. At the plate, LT looks to improve its .229 average, returning top hitters Janna Fandrup (.292, 5 HR, 22 RBI) and Allie Geisler (.264, 6 HR 23 RBI). Cassie Krieg also figures into the equation with a .300 average from last season.
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
A familiar opponent for Penn State, No. 15 Michigan, went 53-6 last year with an 18-2 mark in Big Ten play, winning the conference. The Wolverines hit .329 with 56 homers and 77 doubles. Amanda Chidester, the 2011 Big Ten Player of the Year, is one of many UM threats, hitting .423 with 13 homers last year. Lead-off hitter Bree Evans (.411,63 R) returns as well along with Ashley Lane (.345, 18 HR). Michigan graduated All-American Jordan Taylor in the circle, but junior Stephanie Speierman (18-1, 1.88 ERA, 109 K) is back, welcoming freshman Sara Driesenga.
PREVIEWING THE NITTANY LIONS
The 2012 Nittany Lion softball season brings with it a new batch of expectations in addition to the attainable goal of a top Big Ten finish and an NCAA Tournament bid. Last season, Penn State earned its eighth bid to the NCAA Tournament in the last 12 seasons, hosting postseason games for the first time in 28 years. Nevertheless, this team wants more.
The Nittany Lions have the fortune of returning the bulk of its producers from a year ago, as eight starters will blend with a new crop of talented freshman in 2012. As part of that experienced core features three All-Big Ten honorees from a year ago, including three-time All-Big Ten and CoSIDA Academic All-District II First Team member Lisa Akamine. Centerfielder Cassidy Bell was a second-team honoree and rightfielder Alyssa Sovereign landed on the third team. Power-hitting first baseman Kailyn Johnson also is back for Penn State, looking for its first back-to-back NCAA Tournament invite since 2006-07.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Two Nittany Lion softball student-athletes were honored by CollegeSportsMadness.com on Wednesday, Jan. 4 on its preseason All-Big Ten teams. Senior pitcher Lisa Akamine and junior outfielder Cassidy Bell were placed on the second team.
RETURNING TO BATON ROUGE
Penn State last played in Baton Rouge during the 2008 season, going 3-2 at the Purple & Gold Challenge, including a victory over then-No. 9 LSU, 3-0. Prior to that, PSU's only other visit was during the 2001 NCAA Region 3 Tournament. PSU went 2-2, falling to LSU in an elimination game, 2-1.
WE WILL SEE YOU LATER
Penn State is no stranger to facing Big Ten opponents prior to conference play. During head coach Robin Petrini's tenure, PSU has played 10 non-conference Big Ten games, going 5-5 (not including Nebraska). This year's matchup against the Wolverines is the fourth such meeting. PSU is 2-1 in those games, including a 1-0 win over the then-No. 1 team in 2006 and a 5-2 win over the then-No. 9 squad. The two teams will play in the Big Ten opener Mar. 24-25 in Ann Arbor.
PERFECT FALL BALL
Nittany Lion softball enjoyed a successful Fall Ball season, going 8-0 in two home tournaments, while out-scoring opponents 43-4. Penn State's bats were alive, hitting .283 with four home runs, while the pitching staff boasted a 0.25 ERA in its eight contests. Penn State's first tournament was hosted at Beard Field in the Nittany Lion Softball Park as PSU rolled to a 5-0 win over Bucknell and a 9-1, six-inning triumph against Delaware on Sept. 17. The following day, Penn State downed Bucknell, 2-0, before handing Lock Haven an 8-2 defeat. Danee Collett collected eight hits, batting .727 with four doubles, a homer and six RBI. In the circle, Lisa Akamine dazzled, going 10.2 innings allowing just two hits and two walks with 17 strikeouts against 39 batters.
During the second weekend of play (Oct. 1-2), rain and cool temperatures played havoc with the schedule as all games were moved inside to Holuba Hall with a makeshift field. Akamine was again the star in the circle, spinning 15 innings of scoreless ball and striking out 23 of the 55 batters she faced with just four hits against. Kailyn Johnson was the leader at the plate, hitting .600 with a double and a homer for four RBI in Penn State's 4-0 weekend. PSU downed Cleveland State, 1-0, in eight innings, before defeating Colgate on Saturday. The Nittany Lions bounced local squads, Indiana (Pa.), 9-1, and Saint Francis, 5-0, to cap the 8-0 Fall season.
NEW CROP OF NITTANY LIONS
Penn State formally announced its seven incoming Nittany Lions from the high school ranks on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011. Joining the Nittany Lions as freshmen in the 2012-13 academic year are Taylor Abeta (San Diego, Calif.), Reina Furuya (Waikele, Hawaii), Shannon Good (Horseheads, N.Y.), Karlie Habitz (Santa Clarita, Calif.), Macy Jones (Ashburn, Va.), Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) and Christie Von Pusch (Bryn Mawr, Pa.).
"The 2012 class is one of the largest classes we have ever signed and just oozes with talent," Head coach Robin Petrini said. "They are all very bright young ladies that understand the commitment, drive, and determination it takes to be successful in the classroom and on the field as a student-athlete at Penn State. We are very excited about what each one brings to our roster and we are eager to see them succeed throughout their careers."
NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State takes next weekend off but returns to the diamond Feb. 25-26 at the Carolina Classic. PSU will face off against Notre Dame, James Madison twice and host North Carolina.
--NITTANY LIONS--