| PENN STATE vs. ROBERT MORRIS | | | | 4-20 (1-2, B1G) | 6-20 (0-0, NEC) |
| Wednesday, March 28 | Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field University Park, Pa. | Tickets |
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March 27, 2018
PENN STATE WELCOMES RMU
The Penn State softball team welcomes the Colonials of Robert Morris University to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field for a mid-week non-conference match up Wednesday, March 25. The Nittany Lions and the Colonials will take the field at 5 p.m. for a doubleheader with game two starting approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.
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.
LEHOTAK TALLIES WIN NO. 100 AT PENN STATE
With Penn State's series opening win over Maryland, head coach Amanda Lehotak picked up her 100th win at Penn State. Furthermore, the win marked the 289th career win for the Lehotak. Lehotak is in her fifth season with the Nittany Lions, leading Penn State to a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal appearance in 2017 and a semifinal appearance in 2016. Under Lehotak's tenure, the Blue and White had its most successful season in 2016 since 2011, winning 30 games and finishing fourth in the Big Ten Conference. The team has also broken multiple hitting and pitching records in her five seasons with the Nittany Lions.
SERIES HISTORY WITH ROBERT MORRIS
Penn State and Robert Morris have played 12 times with the Nittany Lions holding the 7-5 series advantage. The two teams were unable to meet up in the 2017 season due to inclement weather in Happy Valley, but did play a doubleheader in the 2016 campaign. Penn State and RMU split the series meeting with the Colonials taking game one and the Nittany Lions earning the 8-5 victory in the night cap. In the last meeting between the two teams, Toni Polk earned the start as the designated player, drawing two walks and scoring one run in the Penn State victory, while Jessica Cummings threw one inning in the circle.
A QUICK LOOK AT ROBERT MORRIS
The Colonials have not played a game since March 18 after having their doublehader against Canisius postponed due to weather on Sunday, March 25. Robert Morris has not won a game since March 10 when it took a 6-4 victory over Delaware State at the Under Armour Showcase. This season, RMU is 6-20 overall, playing all 26 of its games on the road. As a team, the Colonials are hitting at a .237 clip with Abrie McCartney hitting a team-best .326 with 26 base knocks and 13 RBI. Natalie Higgins is also hitting above .300 with a team-best 27 hits, while Olivia Lorusso has driven in a team-high 14 RBI. The Colonial hitters have struggled at the plate this season, striking out 146 times in 630 at-bats with six batters striking out 10-or-more times this year. Penn State could see three different starters in the circle as Madison Riggle has made 11 starts and both Laura Coulter and Kaitlin Ellzy have stared seven games this season. Riggle carries a team-low 4.27 earned run average and has earned three wins on the season. The right-handed sophomore hurler has thrown 77.0 innings with 37 strikeouts, while Coulter has thrown 35.1 innings and Ellzy has tossed 28.0.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR ARRIZURIETA
Senior Gianna Arrizurieta has earned a starting position in the Penn State infield and her hard work at the plate finally paid off this last weekend. The senior starting shortstop hit just shy of .400, going 3-for-8 at the plate for a .375 batting average in the past three games. Arrizurieta went 2-for-3 at the plate in the final game of the series to start two key rallies for the Nittany Lions, while scoring once.
WILLIAMS CLUTCH AT THE PLATE AGAINST UMD
Junior Meghan Williams started all three games at first base for the Blue and White, hitting .300 on the weekend with three hits. The junior tallied three hits and drove in two RBI for the Nittany Lions. This season, Williams has started eight games and ranks second on the team with a .292 batting average. The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania native has seven hits with two RBI and scored twice for the Nittany Lions.
BATS COME ALIVE IN GAME ONE AGAINST UMD
In game one against the Terrapins, the entire Penn State starting lineup tallied at least one hit, while four brought in at least one run and seven scored. Sophomores Kennedy Legg and Destiny Weber paced the lineup with two RBI each and Meghan Williams had two hits with one RBI and scored once. Williams ended the day with a team-high three hits between the two games.
CUMMINGS THROWS TWO COMPLETE GAMES
Senior hurler Jessica Cummings pitched two complete games against Maryland, walking just two batters in 14 innings of work and striking out 12. The senior hurler earned the 8-3 win for the Nittany Lions, giving up five hits in seven innings of work, striking out seven and allowing no walks.
ON DECK
Penn State goes back on the road for its second Big Ten Conference series of the season when it heads to Piscataway, New Jersey for a three-game series, March 30-April 1.
