| PENN STATE at GW CAPITAL CLASSIC | | | 9-13-0 (0-0-0) |
| Saturday, March 18 - Sunday, March `19 |
Washington, D.C.
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March 17, 2017
PENN STATE ADDS TOURNAMENT AT GEORGE WASHINGTON
The Penn State softball team has added a four games to its 2017 schedule as it will travel to George Washington for the GW Capital Classic March 18-19.The Nittany Lions will take on Niagara Saturday, March 18 at 12:15 p.m. and close out the day with a 2:30 p.m. contest against George Washington. The Blue and White will conclude the GW Capital Classic Sunday, March 19 with an 11 a.m. game against Niagara and a 1:15 p.m. game against host George Washington. Penn State's contests against George Washington are set to be live streamed on the Atlantic 10 Network.
SERIES HISTORY WITH OPPONENTS
The Nittany Lions will take on the Purple Eagles of Niagara for the first time in program history this weekend and will go up against George Washington for the fifth time in the history of the two programs. Penn State owns the 4-0 all-time record against the Colonials with its last meeting coming in the 2014 season. Marlaina Laubach earned the start in the circle for the Blue and White, going all five innings in the 9-1 victory, while Kristina Brackpool and Shelby Miller each tallied one hit and one RBI apiece for Penn State. Finally head coach Amanda Lehotak is 1-0 all-time when coaching against the Colonials picking up the victory in her first season as head coach of the Nittany Lions.
NITTANY LIONS PICK UP ONE WIN IN SEATTLE
Penn State notched a 6-2 victory over South Dakota to open the day before falling to No. 8 Washington, 15-0, in a five-inning night game Friday, March 10 at Husky Softball Stadium. Redshirt-sophomore Rebecca Ziegler led Penn State at the plate with four hits on the day, recording back-to-back multi-hit games while driving in three runs for the Blue and White on a double against the Coyotes. Also recording a multi-hit game for the Nittany Lions was Toni Polk who tallied two base-knocks against South Dakota while Meghan Williams drove in two runs for the Blue and White. Senior Marlaina Laubach set a career-high in strikeouts in her 11th start of the season, fanning eight batters against South Dakota. The senior right-handed hurler tossed all seven innings, giving up just six hits and earning the 6-2 victory over the Coyotes.
WHEN THE NITTANY LIONS SCORE FIRST
The Nittany Lions have proven if they are the first to score, they are probably going to win the contest as they are 7-0 in the 2017 campaign when striking first against opponents. However, Penn State tends to start slow, scoring just a total of four runs in the first inning this season. The Nittany Lion's strength come in innings two through four as it has scored a combined 60 runs with its most run production coming in the third inning. Penn State also gives up the most runs in the third inning as it has let 32 cross the plate in the third and 19 touch home in the fifth.
ZIEGLER STEADY AT THE DISH
Redshirt-sophomore Rebecca Ziegler has been comfortable as the leadoff batter for the Blue and White but has also been a force with runners on base. The starting center fielder has driven in a team-best 16 runs, including five RBI against Virginia Tech in the Nittany Lions 7-1 victory. Ziegler has tallied seven multi-hit games to total 24 base knocks on the season. Furthermore, Ziegler has nine extra base hits, which includes seven doubles tying her for sixth in the Big Ten Conference. Finally, Ziegler has posted four multi-RBI games in the 2017 season.
BRACKPOOL TIES FOR NO. 9 ALL-TIME IN CAREER HOME RUNS
With her solo shot against Idaho State Saturday, March 4 senior Kristina Brackpool moves into a tie with Hollie Haines having blasted 17 home runs in her career as a Nittany Lions. This season, Brackpool has two home runs, tallying one at the Chanticleer Showdown and one at the Colorado State Classic.
MILLER RANKS NO. 11 IN CAREER RBI
With her 13 RBI in the 2017 season, senior Shelby Miller moves into sole possession of the No. 11 spot in Penn State career RBI laurels. The senior third baseman has driven in a 99 RBI in her career donning the Blue and White and needs just two RBI to move into a tie for No. 10 all-time with Hollee Haines.
TRAVELING NITTANY LIONS
Penn State softball will hit the road for 39 of its 56 games, traveling a whopping 13,199 miles in the 2017 season. The Nittany Lions first travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. for the LSU Tournament before heading to Atlanta, Georgia for its first appearance in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Blue and White close out the month of February in Conway, South Carolina for the Chanticleer Showdown and open the month of March at the Colorado State Classic. Penn State continues its five weeks of travel in Washington with a doubleheader against Seattle and two games in the Husky Classic. Penn State returns from spring break and travels to Washington D.C. for four games at the GW Capital Classic, March 18-19. Following a mid-week home-opener, the Nittany Lions go back on the road to Michigan and Pittsburgh and also make trips out to Michigan State, Nebraska and Maryland in the 2017 campaign.
ON DECK
Penn State returns to Happy Valley to start its 2017 home slate Wednesday, March 22 after its original home opener against Saint Francis was postponed due to inclement weather. The Blue and White will take on Robert Morris at 5 p.m. with the game set to be streamed on GoPSUNow.
