April 8, 2018
By Andy Kuros, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following a 14-2 loss in game one of the series, Penn State gave No. 17 Michigan all it could handle in game two Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions, led by junior pitcher Madison Shaffer, held the Wolverines' potent offense scoreless through the first six innings before Michigan hit a 2-run homerun in the 7th inning to break the 0-0 tie in a game that would finish 3-0 in favor of the Wolverines.
"I was really proud with how we bounced back (from game one)," head coach Amanda Lehotak said. "It's what we've done all year. We have such good kids. They're fighters and they will never quit for Penn State. I can't say enough about Maddy Shaffer right now. She had a great game - a full seven innings. She pitched well enough to win. I don't know if we've had a pitcher go a full seven like that since I've been here, so I'm very proud of her."
Player of the Game
Who else but Madison Shaffer? The Pennsylvania native was dominant in the circle Saturday, as she only allowed two hits in the first six innings and registered four strikeouts as well. Although she gave up three runs in the 7th, Shaffer kept the Nittany Lions in the game with one of the top teams in the nation. She made big pitches when she needed them most, including a strikeout to get out of a bases-loaded jam with Michigan rallying in the 5th inning.
"I felt confident," Shaffer said after arguably her best collegiate performance to date. "My team played really well behind me today. It was awesome watching them make plays and it really helped me, too."
"I'm so proud," Lehotak said when asked about holding one of the top offenses in the nation to zero runs through six innings. "These kids have been fighting all year and we've just had some back luck, especially for them to go out and do that (against Michigan)."
Shaffer registers her second complete game of the season after going a full seven innings Saturday.
Weber's Web Gems
Penn State played great team defense throughout the first two games against Michigan and didn't register an error the entire second game. Sophomore Destiny Weber was great defensively at the hot corner, as she made big plays all weekend, including a crucial double play to get the Nittany Lions out of a jam in the second inning of game one.
"She was lights out," Lehotak said about her third baseman. "We knew we had to make a big play defensively and we got two huge defensive moments. One was Weber's double play and the other was to get out of the bases-loaded ja early in the game with no outs. It really shows our emotional composure."
"I (take a lot of pride in my defense)," Weber said postgame. "As a team, we all take pride in our defense and we work really hard on it. We always take a lot of reps, so as a team we live by the fundamentals and just staying calm."
Weber also contributed offensively, as well, notching one of the Blue and White's three hits on Friday night. A hit that came against Meghan Beaubien, who is of the most dominant pitchers in the country, posting under a 1.00 ERA.
What's Next?
The three-game series will continue on Sunday as the Nittany Lions and Wolverines will lace up the spikes one more time at 1 p.m. at Beard Field.