April 23, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State welcomes Kent State for a Wednesday doubleheader at Beard Field and Nittany Lion Softball Park beginning at 3 p.m. with a second game to follow. The games are the final non-conference clashes for the Nittany Lions in 2013.
FOLLOW ALONG
Game one - - Student U
Game two - - Student U
ON THE HORIZON
After hosting Kent State, the Nittany Lions travel to Iowa for their final road series of the season beginning at 7 p.m. ET Friday. Penn State wraps up the regular season with a three-game set against Nebraska at Beard Field May 4-6.
A GLIMPSE OF THE GOLDEN FLASHES
Kent State has dropped just three of its last 11 outings, claiming victories in seven while tying Robert Morris April 9. The squad is coming off a two-game sweep of Western Michigan April 20-21. Kim Kirkpatrick has been the most consistent threat for the Flashes, posting a .322 average at the plate and a team-best three home runs. Abbey Ledford leads the squad with 16 RBI, followed by Lauren Grimes (14) and Shelbi Tilton (13).
Emma Johnson has claimed the bulk of the work in the circle, tossing 155.2 innings this season while posting a 16-8 record with a 1.80 ERA. Johnson has racked up 167 strikeouts while limiting opposing batters to a .192 average at the dish. Lauren McNeil has thrown 84.1 frames with a 4.23 ERA in 21 appearances in 2013.
A HISTORY OF THE SERIES
Penn State holds a 25-16 advantage in the all-time ledger. The teams have met on the diamond 12 of the last 13 seasons as the Nittany Lions accumulated an 18-5 record over that span.
THE BELL'S CHIME
Through April 21, senior outfielder Cassidy Bell ranked in the Top 15 nationally in home runs per game (5th/0.44), slugging percentage (1st/1.054), on-base percentage (3rd/.603), runs per game (7th/1.15), walks per game (9th/0.88) and batting average (11th/.464). Bell is sixth in the nation in home runs (18), just five off leader Megan Baltzell from Longwood.
With a home run in the first inning against Ohio State April 13, Bell broke the Penn State single-season record with her 17th of the season, passing Jennifer Tripken's mark of 16 from 2002. Bell hit her 18th of the season April 17 against Purdue to break her tie with Shannon Salsburg (1995-98) at the top of the career leaderboard, posting the 35th of her career.
Noting her offensive capabilities, opposing teams have opted to intentionally walk Bell 14 times this season.
CHASING HISTORY
Multiple Nittany Lions will have opportunities to leave their names in the program career record book when the season is finished. Bell is currently second in batting average (.357), first in home runs (35) and total bases (356), second in runs (133), tied for fourth in doubles (38) and RBI (107), tied for third in walks (92), sixth in hits (199) and tied for 10th in stolen bases (38).
The 2013 season has been efficient for the senior, as Bell currently holds the top spot with a .464 batting average, holds the title with 18 home runs and 43 runs scored, ranks third in total bases (118), fourth in RBI (39).
Kailyn Johnson is tied for fifth all-time in walks (87), sits in 11th in doubles (30) and is within striking distance of hits (148), home runs (15), total bases (223) and RBI (75).
BOMBS AWAY
As a team, Penn State is 49th in the nation in home runs per game (0.95). Six Lions have recorded two or more this season while the team has produced 14 of its total of 39 (36%) in the last 10 contests. The trio of Bell, Furuya and Johnson has recorded three apiece over that span while Jones has contributed a pair and Habitz, Hatfield and Yao have each hit one.
On the season, Bell leads with 18, followed by Macy Jones (5), Reina Furuya (4), Johnson (4), Karlie Habitz (3), Lauren Yao (2) while Taylor Abeyta, Kasie Hatfield and Liz Presto have one apiece.
BOOKENDS
Seniors and freshmen account for 150 of the squad's 167 RBI (90%) and 254 of 298 hits (85%) this season. Of the team's eight first-year players, four (Furuya, Habitz, Jones, Lexi Knief) have started 20 or more contests. The senior trio of Bell, Johnson and Alyssa Renwick has started every game they have played this season while Hutchinson and Yao have been in the starting lineup in 37 and 31 games, respectively.
Defensively, Jones has thrown 139.0 of the team's 257.1 (54%) innings from the circle. She has accounted for all but one win this season while tossing 10 complete games with a team-best 86 strikeouts.
WALK THE LINE
Penn State drew 24 walks against Northwestern to account for a fifth of the team's season total of 125. Bell drew three in each game while five other players reached first on balls at least twice, including Johnson (4), Jones (3), Alyssa Sovereign (2), Renwick (2) and Yao (2).
TO BE THE BEST
Bell was named a finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award April 11. She is one of 11 seniors on the 25-player list.
Ten finalists will make the May 8 list before the group is narrowed to the three May 22. The winner of the award will be announced in the lead-up to the 2013 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City May 28.
LIVE ON YOUR SCREEN
The May 5 clash with Nebraska has been added to the Big Ten Network schedule and will be aired live. The game will be the third of the season for the Nittany Lions on BTN as the team split an April 17 doubleheader with Purdue.
QUITE THE SLATE!
Ten of Penn State's 2013 opponents are listed in the April 23 ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, including top-ranked Oklahoma. Other opponents include Texas (No. 7), Michigan (No. 9), LSU (No. 12), Washington (No. 13), Texas A&M (No. 15), Nebraska (No. 20), Arizona (No. 23) and while Hofstra and North Carolina receiving votes. Nine of the 10 programs are represented in the current USA Today/NFCA rankings, plus Iowa.