| PENN STATE at COLORADO STATE CLASSIC | | | 6-7-0 (0-0-0) |
| Friday, March 3 - Sunday, March 5
Ram Field | Fort Collins, Colorado | |
|
|
March 2, 2017
PENN STATE READY FOR WEEK-LONG TRIP OUT WEST
The Penn State softball team will spend its spring break in both Fort Collins, Colorado and Seattle, Washington, March 3-10. The Nittany Lions will first travel to Fort Collins, Colorado for the Colorado State Classic Friday, March 3-Sunday, March 5 before making its way to Seattle, Washington for a mid-week doubleheader against Seattle and finishing the week at the Husky Classic, Friday, March 10.
NITTANY LIONS VS. OPPONENTS
Penn State will take on Idaho State for the first time in the history of the two programs this weekend at the Colorado State Classic, while the Nittany Lions will meet up with the Rams for the 13th time and Buffalo for the sixth time. Colorado State holds the 9-3 series advantage against the Blue and White with the Rams taking a 10-5 five-inning victory in Penn State's 2013 season-opener. The Nittany Lions picked up their last win over Colorado State in the 2010 season when they earned a 9-8 victory in eight innings. Finally, Penn State owns the 5-0 advantage in the all-time series against the Bulls. The Blue and White and Buffalo last met up in the 2011 season with the Nittany Lions earning a 7-4 victory in State College.
BRACKPOOL MOVES INTO SOLE POSSESION OF NO. 10 SPOT
Senior Kristina Brackpool notched her 16th career home run against Cleveland State Sunday, Feb. 26, moving her into sole possession of the No. 10 spot in Penn State softball history. Previously, Brackpool shared the ranking with Megan Humphrey, Val Serpico and Nan Sichler, who all had 15 career round-trippers donning the Blue and White. Brackpool launched 11 home runs in her sophomore season, which ties for fifth in a single season and had two in her junior campaign for the Nittany Lions.
SORENSON STEADY AT THE PLATE
Sophomore Mollie Sorenson has been steady for the Nittany Lions batting in the two spot in the 2017 season. The junior second baseman is currently on a seven-game hitting streak that includes five multi-hit games for the Blue and White. Sorenson paces Penn State with a team-high 16 hits, while driving in one RBI and scoring four times.
ZIEGLER BRINGING IN THE RUNS
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 11 runs, including five RBI against Virginia Tech in the Nittany Lions 7-1 victory. Ziegler has tallied four multi-hit games to total 14 base knocks on the season. Furthermore, Ziegler has seven extra base hits, which includes six doubles tying her for third in the Big Ten Conference. Finally, Ziegler has posted three multi-RBI games in the first 13 games of the season.
CUMMINGS NOTCHES CAREER DAY AGAINST CLEVELAND STATE
Junior Jessica Cummings made her second start of the season and earned his first victory over the Cleveland State Vikings at the Chanticleer Showdown. The left-handed hurler posted a career day, striking out nine batters in only five innings of work, including two innings with two strikouts.
TRAVELING NITTANY LIONS
Penn State softball will hit the road for 35 of its 52 games, traveling a whopping 12,765 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. Following a short four-game home stint, 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.
CONFERENCE TOUR
Penn State will see a slew of representatives from several different conferences this season, taking on teams from 16 different leagues in 2017. The Nittany Lions will take on teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (Georgia Tech, Pitt, Virginia Tech), Big Sky Conference (Idaho State), Big South Conference (Campbell), Big 12 (Oklahoma State), Horizon League (Cleveland State), Mid-American Conference (Buffalo), Mountain West Conference (Colorado State), Northeast Conference (Robert Morris, Saint Francis), Ohio Valley Conference (Morehead State), Pac 12 (Washington), Patriot League (Bucknell), Southeastern Conference (LSU), Southland Conference (McNeese State State), Summit League (South Dakota), Sun Belt Conference (Coastal Carolina) and Western Athletic Conference (Seattle).
ON DECK
Penn State will make its way farther west when it plays a mid-week doubleheader against Seattle Wednesday, March 8. Game one is set to start at 7 p.m. ET.
