Aug. 17, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State softball team is set to play eight games at home at Nittany Lion Softball Park's Beard Field as a part of fall ball in September.
The team kicks off the autumn slate with a doubleheader against Bucknell Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., followed by back-to-back contests against Bloomsburg Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Penn State will host a five-team tournament Sept. 29-30, featuring competition from Bucknell, Indiana University (Pa.), Lock Haven and Saint Francis. Five games will be played each day, two featuring the Nittany Lions. The team will play Saint Francis both days, with Indiana U. (Pa.) on the schedule Saturday and Lock Haven Sunday.
The 2012-13 team, under the direction of head coach Robin Petrini, returns Cassidy Bell (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Kasie Hatfield (Tampa, Fla.), both All-Big Ten selections a season ago, among a group of 15 returnees. Bell has one year of eligibility remaining and returns as one of the best outfielders in the conference and in the region. She was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection in 2012, the only field player to be voted by the conference's coaches to the first team. Hatfield, a rising junior, was a force behind the plate in conference play last season, ranking tops amongst Big Ten catchers in runs (11), doubles (7), home runs (4), RBI (18), total bases (37) and slugging (.607).
Friday, Sept. 14
6:30 p.m. - Penn State vs. Bucknell
8:30 p.m. - Penn State vs. Bucknell
Friday, Sept. 21
6 p.m. - Penn State vs. Bloomsburg
8 p.m. - Penn State vs. Bloomsburg
Saturday, Sept. 29
9:30 a.m. - Bucknell vs. Lock Haven
11:45 a.m. - IUP vs. Bucknell
2 p.m. - Lock Haven vs. Saint Francis
4:15 p.m. - Saint Francis vs. Penn State
6:30 p.m. - Penn State vs. IUP
Sunday, Sept. 30
9:30 a.m. - Saint Francis vs. Bucknell
11:45 a.m. - Bucknell vs. IUP
2 p.m. - Penn State vs. Saint Francis
4:15 p.m. - IUP vs. Lock Haven
6:30 p.m. - Lock Haven vs. Penn State