March 25, 2015
| 2 | 0 |
| 9 | 1 |
| Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2015 | |
Beard Field | University Park, Pa. | Attn. 227
| POST GAME LINKS |
| VIDEO: Game Highlights |
| VIDEO: Lehotak/Miller/Jones Post Game Interviews |
| Game 1: Box Score (HTML) | (PDF) |
Game 2: Box Score (HTML) | (PDF)
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Led by the sterling pitching of Marlaina Laubach (Northampton, Pa.) and Macy Jones (Ashburn, Va.) as well as the bats of Alyssa VanDerveer (Hillsborough, N.J.) and Shelby Miller (Sugar Land, Texas), the Penn State softball team swept its doubleheader with Robert Morris, 2-0 and 9-1 (6) Wednesday night.
Penn State pitching combined for 13 innings in the circle vs. the Colonials, giving up just one run on nine hits while striking out 11 and walking one.
In the first game the Lions put a pair up on the board in the first inning off of a single by VanDerveer and then a throwing error by the Robert Morris left fielder. PSU would have plated more runs in its home half of the first if not for a bizarre play earlier in the inning. That's when Jones, who was the baserunner on second was called out for interference after a batted ball by Miller struck her in the leg.
Regardless of the size of the lead, two runs was all Laubach needed to silence the Colonial battery in the first game. The sophomore allowed just one hit through the contest's first six innings until a single in the seventh put an end to the one hit bid.
Still, Laubach was masterful in the circle, going the full seven for her second complete game shutout of the season, while striking out eight and issuing just one walk. Robert Morris batters were held hitless by her from the second inning through the sixth as she improved her record to 8-6.
In the second game, Amanda Lehotak's squad came out swinging and quickly put four runs on the Beard Field scoreboard in the second. Reina Furuya (Waipahu, Hawaii) walked with the bases loaded to set up a two RBI double by Mollie Sorenson (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.). Sorenson eventually scored on a RMU throwing error following a Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) infield hit.
The Nittany Lions tacked on another three in their half of the fourth when Jones, who was the game's starting pitcher helped her own cause with an RBI double to left. She then rounded home on a Miller long ball to deep center field to make it 7-0.
After Robert Morris scored its first run of the night in the fifth, PSU tacked on runs in its half of the fifth and sixth, both coincidentally off the bat of VanDerveer, who hit her team leading sixth homer of the year in the fifth. The freshman backstop then put an end to the game by way of a groundball to short in the sixth which was mishandled by the RMU shortstop, allowing State's ninth and final run to cross the plate.
Jones picked up the win in the second game, which was also her first start of the season. She went the full six innings due to the mercy rule being in effect and allowed just one run on seven hits, while striking out three. Her control was impeccable as she did not walk a Colonial batter and moved to 3-1 on the season.
The top of the Nittany Lion line-up had a banner night at the plate going a combined 6-10 in the second game with Knief, Jones and Miller all having multi-hit games. Sorenson also picked up a pair of hits in the eight run victory.
With the doubleheader sweep Penn State now moves to an even 15-15 on the season and has now surpassed its overall win total from a season ago. The Lions will look to get their first win in B1G play this weekend as they travel to take on the Spartans of Michigan State. The three game series is slated to take place Friday, Mar. 27 - Sunday, Mar. 30 in East Lansing.