| PENN STATE vs. MARYLAND | | | | 3-18 (0-0, B1G) | 10-19 (0-0, B1G) |
| Saturday, March 24-Sunday, March 25 | Nittany Lions Softball Park
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Beard Field University Park, Pa. | Tickets |
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March 22, 2018
PENN STATE READY FOR BIG TEN CONFERENCE PLAY
The Penn State softball team opens its 2018 Big Ten Conference slate with Maryland in a three-game home series Saturday, March 24-Sunday, March 25. The Nittany Lions kick off the series on Saturday, March 24 with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Finally, Penn State will conclude the series at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field Sunday, March 26 at 1 p.m.
CATCHING THE GAMES FROM HOME
Fans who cannot make the trip to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field can catch all the action live by following along with live Twitter updates @PennStateSB while also following live stats at GoPSUsports.com and watching live on LionVision.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MARYLAND
Penn State brings a 13-5 all-time series advantage into its three games with Maryland after taking two of three games in 2017 and sweeping the series in 2016. The Nittany Lions fell in the second game of the three-game series a season ago before producing a comeback win over Maryland in the final game, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Jessica Cummings made a statement in her home state, pitching 10.2 innings in the loss and striking out six Terrapins.
SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS
Maryland holds a 10-19 overall record after coming back from its spring break trip to Hawai'i with a 3-2 record with wins over Cleveland State, North Dakota, and Hawai'i. However, Maryland has played some tough competition this season, taking on No. 4/5 UCLA, No. 13/14 Auburn two times, No. 2/1 Florida two times, and No. 4/4 Tennessee two times. As a team, UMD is hitting .223 with Skylynne Ellazar leading the charge with a .313 batting average with 26 hits, while also stealing four bases. Brigette Nordberg has been driving in runs for the Terrapins with a team-high 10 RBI and hitting .295 to rank second on the team. Maryland has looked to four different pitchers at some point in the season with Ryan Denhart and Sydney Golden pitching a combined 180.0 innings. Denhart has thrown 100.2 with a 6-8 overall record and 58 strikeouts.
PENN STATE WINS IN THRILLING WALK-OFF FASHION
Freshman Dani Fey led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double into left center field for junior Tori Dubois, who placed a single over the second baseman's head to score Fey from second and secure the nine-inning 11-10 series win over Kent State for the Penn State softball team Sunday, March 18 at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field. The Blue and White battled for their victory over the Golden Flashes as it came back to tie the game in both the bottom of the seventh and bottom of the eighth, scoring four runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. In total, the Nittany Lions tallied a season-high 11 runs on 14 hits and did not make an error in the field.
DUBOIS BIG AGAINST KENT STATE
Junior Tori Dubois opened the 2018 home campaign for the Nittany Lions with a .455 batting average, lacing five hits, driving in three RBI and scoring four times. Dubois's most important RBI of the weekend came in the bottom of the ninth inning against Kent State when she roped a single over the second baseman's head to score the runner on second and secure the 11-10 walk-off series victory for Penn State. The junior outfielder also had three putouts in left field, while carrying a .538 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage through the three-game series with the Golden Flashes.
FEY POWERFUL LEADING OFF THE LINEUP
Freshman Dani Fey continued to be a clutch leadoff batter for Penn State as she notched a .462 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage in the three-game series with Kent State. Fey hit .300 on the weekend with three hits, one RBI and scoring twice for the Blue and White, while drawing three walks at the plate. Fey ended the weekend with a double into left field in the bottom of the ninth and scored the winning run on a Tori Dubois single into right field.
COMFORTABLE AT HOME
After spending the first 18 games on the road, Penn State found some comfort being at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field for its home opening series. The Blue and White fell in the opener against Kent State before coming back to take the win in the last two games of the three-game series. The Nittany Lions also tallied a season-best 11 runs on 14 hits in the series finale.
BLUE AND WHITE TO PLAY 24 HOME GAMES IN 2018
Penn State will play 24 of its 56 scheduled games insides the friendly confines of Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field. The home-heavy schedule will be a nice change for the Blue and White as it played only 15 of its 56 games at home in the 2017 campaign. Penn State will kick off its season with 20 away contests before opening its 2018 home campaign with a weekend series against non-conference opponent Kent State, March 16-18. The Nittany Lions hold a 63-60-1 overall record at Beard Field in its seven year existence which is good for a .504 winning percentage. Penn State will play 10 home contests in the month of March before taking on six opponents in 14 games in the month of April.
TOUGH BIG TEN SCHEDULE
The Big Ten Conference has become one of the most competitive leagues in NCAA Division I softball as it has two teams represented in the preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll with Minnesota coming in at No. 16 and Michigan ranking No. 18. The B1G also has three teams receiving votes to kick off the 2018 campaign. The Nittany Lions will take on both Minnesota and Michigan in regular season contests, as well as Illinois and Ohio State, who are receiving votes.
ON DECK
Penn State caps off its home stretch Wednesday, March 28 when it welcomes Robert Morris to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field for a 5 p.m. doubleheader.
