April 9, 2015
| PENN STATE vs. INDIANA | |
| Friday. Apr. 10th - Sunday, Apr. 12th, 2015 | |
| NLSB & Beard Field | University Park, Pa. | |
| Live Stats | | | |
Radio | Video (BTN2Go) Saturday & Sunday
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Notes | Game Program | Statistics (PSU) | B1G Stats
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Coming off its historic weekend in Madison, Wisc., the Penn State softball team will look to continue its offensive hot streak of late as it hosts the Indiana Hoosiers during alumni weekend in Happy Valley for a three game series.
IU and PSU are set to get underway Friday, Apr. 10, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. at Beard Field. Saturday will feature a 3 p.m. start time while Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's games will be broadcast courtesy of the BTN's StudentU and can be viewed via the BTN2Go Subscription. Sunday's game will also be aired live on Penn State Com Radio's secondary web stream.
PSU enters the twin bill winners of 8 of its last 10 contests and having accomplished a feat that only five teams had done previously. In the fourth inning of Saturday's series finale with the Badgers, third baseman Shelby Miller (Sugar Land, Texas) and shortstop Reina Furuya (Waipahu, Hawaii) became just six set of teammates to hot grand slams in one inning.
The Lions went onto win the contest 15-5 in a five inning mercy rule shortened contest and enter the weekend match-up at 21-17 overall and 4-5 in the B1G. Indiana comes into Happy Valley sporting an 11-28 record and a 2-7 mark in the conference.
The Blue & White's freshman catcher Alyssa VanDerveer (Hillsborough, N.J.) also enters the series with some new hardware to her collection as she was named both the Big Ten's player and freshman of the week following a torrid five game performance. During games against Bucknell (Apr. 1) and Wisconsin (Apr. 3-4), she hit .600 (6-10), stoked three home runs, two of which were grand slams and knocked in 11 RBI while walking a total of nine times and scoring eight runs.
To help celebrate alumni weekend during the program's 50th anniversary season, past players and their families will get to take part in all sorts of weekend activities including a pre-game tailgate on Saturday. There will also be unique giveaways for fans to enjoy during each game of the B1G series such as car magnets and coozies.
SERIES NOTES
QUICK HITS
· The Nittany Lions became just the sixth team to ever hit two grand slams in one inning in NCAA Division I history Saturday vs. the Badgers as they plated a total of nine runs off of bombs from Shelby Miller and Reina Furuya.
· Penn State has now connected on five grand slams in its last five games, Alyssa VanDerveer has a pair of those bombs, while Miller, Furuya and Kristina Brackpool each are responsible for one.
For her efforts VanDerveer was named B1G Player of the Week as well as Freshman of the Week, marking the first time PSU has had such an honor since 2013.
· The freshman backstop now leads the team in home runs with nine, she has stroked two long balls in back-to-back games and has hit three in the last four, two of those three round trippers were with the bases load.
· The Lions have scored double-digit run totals in four straight games and have amassed that total in five of their last seven contests.
· Amanda Lehotak's squad has plated 78 runs during its past seven games, averaging a little more than 11 runs scored per contest.
SERIES HISTORY VS. INDIANA
Penn State and Indiana have met exactly 60 times dating back to the 1977 season with the Nittany Lions having taken 27 of those meetings, while the Hoosiers have come out on top in 33. PSU has won two of the last three with IU, but lost its most recent matchup during the series finale in April of 2014 at Bloomington. This will be the first time since the 2012 season that the two will play at Beard Field as the Lions took two of three in that series. Penn State has won two of the last series it's played with Indiana. The first meeting between these two schools occurred in 1977 during a tournament in Columbus in which the Blue & White came out on top vs. the Crimson & Cream 1-0. PSU started out 3-0 against the Hoosiers as non-conference opponents from 1977-82 before the pair's first meeting as conference foes during the 1992 season.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
Indiana enters the weekend like the Lions having lost some games on the schedule to Mother Nature. IU's scheduled doubleheader with rival Purdue was postponed because of rain, meaning the last time the Hoosiers played a game was Monday, against Maryland by way of a 21-8 loss. IU has lost seven of eight and 10 of 12 heading into its matchup with PSU following a four game win streak during the Hoosier Classic in Bloomington (Mar. 12-16).
In the batter's box IU is led by a trio of sluggers including senior outfielder Shannon Cawley who is tops in batting average (.352), hits (43) and RBI (36) as well as junior backstop/third baseman Kelsey Dotson who has the most home runs (10), walks (20) and the highest on base percentage at .431. Freshman outfielder Rebecca Blitz has scored the Hoosiers' most runs (30), stolen the most bases (10) and has the best slugging percentage at .363.
Indiana's pitching staff is headlined by seniors Lora Olson and Miranda Tamayo. Olson has the most wins (7), strikeouts (79), innings pitched (151.1) and complete games (5) while Tamayo has the lowest ERA (6.44) and batting average against (.319).
DID YOU KNOW?
Penn State has more than doubled its home run total from a year ago as the Lions hit just 13 long balls in 49 games during the 2014 season. They have stroked a total of 31 in just 38 games of the 2015 season, five of which were grand slams.
COVERAGE
For those not in attendance, live Stats will be available via CBS GameTracker and in game updates through the team's official Twitter feed @PennStateSB. Saturday and Sunday's games will be broadcast courtesy of the BTN's StudentU and can be viewed via the BTN2Go Subscription. Sunday's game will also be aired live on Penn State Com Radio's secondary web stream.
TICKETS
Admission to the game is just $6 for the general public. Tickets to 2015 home softball games can be purchased by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by logging on to gopsusports.com. Fans can also buy tickets the day of the game by walking up to the Beard Field Box Office.
PROMOTIONS
From home run and double play innings to coozie and inflatable beach ball giveaways there is a little something for every Penn State softball fan to enjoy during the 18 home dates the team has at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field this season. Throughout the season there will be several reoccurring promotions such as dollar dog and winning weeknights (Mar. 25, Apr. 1, 7, 22) as well weekend games where kids can create signs at specially designated stations to cheer on the team or their favorite player. The team will also hold special autograph sessions following each Sunday contest and kids 12 and younger can run the bases following each Saturday home date. During each game fans will be able to participate in inning-by-inning promotions such as the Home Delivery Home Run and Double Play innings as well as Uncle Chen's Trivia Challenge. For a complete list of the promotions that fans can expect to see at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field this season click here.
ADMISSION & LIMITED BAG POLICY
Fans attending Penn State softball games at Beard Field will have to comply with Penn State University's Bag Policy. Fans are advised that no backpacks or briefcases may be brought into the stadium and all bags must be searched. For more information visit the Safety Policy SY44 Page or Penn State's Bag Policy Page.
B1G PRODUCTION
Freshman catcher Alyssa VanDerveer is the reigning B1G Player of the Week and Freshman of the week thanks to a monster week at the plate in which she hit .600 (6-10) with three home runs, two of which were grand slams. She also knocked in 11 RBI, scored eight runs and drew a staggering nine walks. She currently leads the team with nine home runs and that total puts her in a tie for ninth place in the conference.
GRAND PRESENCE
The Nittany Lions have hit an impressive five grand slams in their last five games, with two coming in the doubleheader sweep of Bucknell (Apr. 1) and another pair coming in the same game and the same inning no less, the top of the fourth in the series finale vs. Wisconsin (Apr. 4). In all four Blue & White batters have hit HR's with the bases loaded this season. Below is a look at the official tally, when they were hit and who against.
| Player | No. | Date(s) | Against |
| Alyssa VanDerveer | 2 | Apr. 1/ 3 | Bucknell Wisconsin |
| Kristina Brackpool | 1 | Apr. 1 | Bucknell |
| Shelby Miller | 1 | Apr. 4 | Wisconsin |
| Reina Furuya | 1 | Apr. 4 | Wisconsin |
HI2TORY IN GRAND FASHION
Staying with the grand slam theme, Penn State became just the sixth team in recorded Division I NCAA softball history to hit a pair of grand slams in one inning as it plated a total of nine runs in the top of the fourth during its 15-5 five inning mercy rule victory over Wisconsin, Apr. 4. Shelby Miller hit the first grannie with no one out and then Reina Furuya, who led off the inning with a double, came to the plate with just one out and already five in, in the inning and slammed another bases loaded homer to achieve the historic feat. The rare occasion has become less rare with each passing season as this is the third year in-a-row it's been accomplished , but the first time a team has done so in the fourth inning of play.
MVP - MOST VERSATILE PLAYER
One could argue that Macy Jones is her team's most valuable player but there is no doubt that she is in fact Penn State's most versatile as she has starred in the field, circle and batter's box this season. Jones is the only member of the Blue & White pitching corps who yields the aluminum and she has done so quite successfully as she has compiled a team best 20 walks and a team high .636 slugging percentage as well as .481 on base percentage. Her seven home runs and 27 RBI is second best on the squad. She also leads the pitching staff with an ultra-low 2.41 ERA, which is also sixth best in the conference and a team best 12 walks in a dozen appearances.
CUTS LIKE A KNIEF
Junior Lexi Knief's ability to cut through opposing pitching this year has been remarkable. She leads the team in batting average (.391), doubles (9), and her on base percentage of .453 is second to Macy Jones' .481 mark. The centerfielder is slugging an impressive .504 on the season, fifth most among her teammates.
PUT ME IN COACH
Macy Jones is the only Nittany Lion to have started and played in all 38 games this season. She has split time in between the circle and the outfield and has even seen a little time at first base, making one start and 11 relief appearances in the circle and 37 in the field. Freshmen Mollie Sorenson and Alyssa VanDerveer are the next closest iron women, as Sorenson has played in 37 of the 38 total contests in 2015, with 35 starts. VanDerveer has started and played in 36 contests as either the backstop or designated player with the exception of one game at first base.
LAYING DOWN THE LAW
Sophomore pitcher Marlaina Laubach leads her team in a number of different pitching categories including wins (9), strikeouts (62) and innings pitched (96.2). Her 3.26 ERA is second best on the team and she has already tied her career high for W's in a season.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
The 2015 season is looking a lot like years from the past, that's because Penn State has now officially reeled off 21 wins in a season for the first time since 2011, when it compiled a 31-24-1 record during Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field's first season. With its series win vs. Wisconsin last weekend, Amanda Lehotak's squad will reached 20 wins in a season for the 26th time in program history.
SOPHOMORE SEASON
Although it's been a while since head coach Amanda Lehotak was a sophomore playing at Ole' Miss, she enters her sophomore season on the bench as the leader of the PSU program. In her first season the Lions went 14-35 with a 5-18 B1G mark. Here's a look at how second year coaches have fared at Penn State over the years.
| Coach | Year | Record | Pct. |
| Pat McTarsney | 1966 | 2-2 | .500 |
| Pat McTarsney | 1975 | 8-7 | .533 |
| Sue Rankin | 1983 | 25-13 | .658 |
| Robin Petrini | 1998 | 21-28-1 | .430 |
| Amanda Lehotak | 2015 | 21-17 | .553 |
* Pat McTarsney returned to coaching after a one year hiatus in 1973
WELCOME BACK
The series with Indiana marks alumni weekend in Happy Valley for the 2015 season and it's an extra special one as the team is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary season. Penn State softball is the oldest program among the schools in the power five conferences (ACC, B1G, Big 12, Pac- 12, SEC). The Lions started up in 1965 under head coach Pat McTarsney and went 2-2 in their first season with wins against Elizabethtown and Wilson colleges. PSU defeated both in-state schools by a combined 46-4 score. The second oldest program among the power five is Arizona State, which began play just two years later in 1967.
NEW NAMES AND NUMBERS
2015 brings with it a new year but also some new names and numbers to the program. This season a half-dozen freshman litter the Lion lineup and roster as Jessica Cummings (#1), Mia Monopoli (#13), Rebecca Ziegler (#15), Gianna Arrizurieta (#21), Mollie Sorenson (#22) and Alyssa VanDerveer will all call Happy Valley home for the first time. Junior transfer Erin Pond (#2) also makes her debut in the Blue and White.
ROUGH ROAD
Penn State's 2015 schedule is a challenging one, with 56 games on the slate against opponents in conferences such as the SEC, ACC and the Big 12. The Lions will take on a total of four teams (Michigan, Georgia, Texas A&M and Missouri in the Pre-Season Top 25 as well as another four (Wisconsin, Mississippi State, James Madison, Northwestern) who are receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA and the ESPN/ USA Softball Top 25 polls.
NATIONAL PROGRAM
This season the Lions boast a total of 18 players from states other than the Commonwealth. Two from Hawaii, one from Washington and five from California dot the western edge of the States, while four from N.Y. and N.J. join other ones from Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and Florida to make-up the eastern part of the country. Three Pennsylvanians (Marlaina Laubach, Christy Von Pusch and Mary Ward) bring some instate pride to the program while, one from Arizona and another from Texas add unique flair to an already diverse group.