Feb. 23, 2014
 3 (7-6) | Boca Raton, Fla. - FAU Softball Field |   2 (5-9) |
BOCA RATON, Fla.; Fe. 23, 2014 - Penn State suffered two losses on Sunday morning, falling to No. 5 Kentucky, 8-1, and FAU, 3-2, in the final day of the Florida Atlantic Invitational. Freshman Shelby Miller (Sugar Land, Texas) led the Nittany Lions offensively with two hits and an RBI in the contest against the Wildcats.
The Blue and White's game vs. FAU was a continuation of last night's competition, which was postponed due to a storm.
PSU drops to 1-3 in the all-time series vs. UK and moves to 5-4 against the Owls all-time.
No. 5 KENTUCKY 8, PENN STATE 1
The Nittany Lions (5-8) failed to put up numbers offensively on Sunday morning, leading to an 8-1 loss to No. 5 Kentucky (13-2). Miller's 2-for-3 performance at the plate highlighted the day for PSU, counting as half of the team's hits vs. the Wildcats.
Another slow start for both teams resulted in a scoreless game through two innings until UK busted the game open with five runs in the third.
Christian Stokes led off with a single to left field and advanced to second on a passed ball. A sac bunt from Ginny Carroll moved Stokes to third and a homerun by Emily Jolly resulted in the Wildcats' first two runs.
UK continued to pump out the hits in the third as Griffin Joiner ripped a single down the left field line. Ansley Smith was walked and Lauren Cumbess doubled down the right field line to drive in Sarah Frazer, who pinch ran for Joiner, and move A. Smith to third. Krystle Smith followed with another double to put A. Smith and Cumbess across the plate and bring the count to 5-0.
The Wildcats added two more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 7-0. A ground out from Emily Gaines brought in Jolly and a Cumbess single to left field sent A. Smith across the plate.
Penn State tallied its only run of the day in the top of the sixth. Miller's second hit of the game, a single to right center, sent in Macy Jones (Ashburn, Va.), to put the score at 7-1.
UK posted one final run in the seventh inning as Cumbess knocked a sac fly to right field, driving in Sylver Samuel. The Lions were unable to capitalize on their final opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, losing to Kentucky, 8-1.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3, PENN STATE 2
Penn State (5-9) and FAU (7-6) resumed their contest from Saturday night, which was postponed in the top of the seventh due to a storm, with the Lions trailing 3-2. The delayed finish did not; however, change the outcome as PSU was unable to put any additional runs on the board and fell to the Owls, 3-2.
Each team got off to a slow start on Saturday with neither putting up a run until the third inning.
Lindsey Shell kicked things off with a single to pitcher Marissa Diescher (Livingston Manor, N.Y.) and Whitley Herb followed with another single to advance Shell to second. A third-straight single from Christina Martinez loaded up the bases for the Owls and set the stage for FAU's next hitter, Melissa Martinez. Diescher sent M. Martinez to first on a walk, bringing Shell across home plate and Herb scored on the next at-bat after Shelby Knox was hit by a pitch.
Jones entered the circle and hit Jordan Stoval with a pitch to send in C. Martinez and put the score at 3-0. The Lions escaped the inning without allowing any additional runs and held off the Owls for the remainder of the game.
Penn State cut the gap to one run in the fifth inning as Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) posted a two-RBI double. The sophomore punched the double to left center field and advanced to third on the throw, driving in Sam Shanahan (Seattle, Wash.) and Reina Furuya (Waipahu, Hawaii) and bringing the score to 3-2.
Neither team scored in the sixth inning and the Lions went three up, three down in the final frame on Sunday to leave the count at 3-2.
The Blue and White return to the field next Saturday, traveling to Harrisonburg, Va. for the James Madison Invitational. Penn State opens the weekend against Kent State at 10 a.m. and will also face Dartmouth, Fairfield and JMU in the two-day competition.