April 23, 2015
| 4 | 5 |
| 14 | 2 |
| Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2015 | |
Beard Field | University Park, Pa. | Attn. 388
| POST GAME LINKS |
| VIDEO: Lehotak/Jones/Brackpool |
| Game 1: Box Score (HTML) | (PDF) |
| Game 2: Box Score (HTML) | (PDF) |
Play-by-Plays: Game 1 | Game 2
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Macy Jones (Asburn, Va.) and Alyssa VanDerveer (Hillsborough, N.J.) launched back-to-back home runs in the third inning of the second game to propel the Penn State softball team to a 14-2 victory against Saint Francis. The home runs by Jones and VanDerveer were part of a five-run third inning, which was followed by a nine-run fourth inning to give the Nittany Lions a mercy-rule, five inning win. In the opening game of the doubleheader, Penn State lost 5-4, despite a seventh-inning rally.
Reina Furuya (Waipahu, Hawaii), Jones and Shelby Miller (Sugar Land, Texas) each drove in three runs in the second contest. Kristina Brackpool (Valencia, Calif.), Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) and VanDerveer each collected two hits.
On the mound, Jones pitched all five innings, allowing six hits, two runs, one earned, while striking out three and walking two.
After the Red Flash got on the board in the top of the frame, the Lions put up five runs in the third inning. With Furuya and Mollie Sorenson (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) on base, Miller lined a double off the right field wall, allowing the runners to score, while Miller advanced to third on the throw home. Jones followed that up with a her blast over the right field fence. VanDerveer then sent a towering shot over the left field wall.
Saint Francis picked up another run in the top of the fifth, but Penn State added on nine more runs in the bottom of the frame. Despite scoring nine runs, the Lions did it all on just four hits. Furuya began the scoring with an RBI groundout. Three batters later, Shelby Miller was hit by a pitch to plate Brackpool. Jones then drove in a run with a fielders' choice to second that kept the bases loaded. The next batter, VanDerveer walked to score Sorenson. Erin Pond (Lagrange, Ohio) next drove in a run on an RBI groundout. Two runs scored as Shannon Good (Horseheads, N.Y.) reached on a throwing error. A double down the left field line by Brackpool setup Furuya to plate two more runs on a single.
Jones pitched a scoreless fifth to seal a mercy-rule victory.
In the first game, Miller had two hits, while four different Lions drove in runs. Jessica Cummings (Owings, Md.) pitched was perfect through the first out of the fourth inning. She finished the game, pitching seven innings, while allowing six hits, five runs, four earned, striking out five batters and walking three.
Penn State got on the board first on a second-inning RBI double to right field by Brackpool to score Pond.
The Red Flash scored two runs in the top of the fourth, but Penn State answered on a Ward RBI knock to left field to drive in Furuya and tie the game at 2-2.
Saint Francis added two more runs in the fifth and a run in the seventh. The Lions rallied in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs. Knief scored after Jones was hit by a pitch. The next batter, VanDerveer walked to plate another run. However, Penn State could not get the tying run across.
Penn State is back in action this weekend in their final home series of the season. They host Big Ten foe Rutgers, beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. Friday is Bark-In-The-Park Night. Saturday is a 3 p.m. start as we honor our seniors on Senior Day. The series wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the team's Pink Zone game.