UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team travels to the Sunshine State for the final time in 2019 for a 10-day spring break trip which includes 12 total games. The Nittany Lions will first appear in the Madeira Beach Invitational, March 1-3 in Madeira Beach, Fla., facing Boston College, Florida International, Detroit Mercy, Florida A&M, and Central Michigan.
GAME INFORMATION
- Game 14: Penn State vs. Boston College - Friday, March 1, 4 p.m. (Field 2)
- Game 15: Penn State vs. FIU - Friday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. (Field 2)
- Game 16: Penn State vs. Detroit Mercy - Saturday, March 2, 1:30 p.m. (Field 3)
- Game 17: Penn State vs. Florida A&M - Sunday, March 3, 11:30 a.m. (Field 1)
- Game 18: Penn State vs. Central Michigan - Sunday, March 3, 2 p.m. (Field 1)
*All games played at Madeira Beach ROC Park Softball Fields.
*Live stats available via GoPSUsports.com.
SERIES HISTORY
- Penn State has met up on the field with all five weekend opponents, but never in the Amanda Lehotak era.
- The Nittany Lions hold the all-time series edge over Boston College and Detroit Mercy, while Central Michigan and Florida International have the slight advantage over Penn State. The series is tied with Florida A&M.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
- Boston College is 3-7 to start the season, with two of its three wins coming against the Big Ten's Michigan State in the ACC/B1G Challenge. The Eagles are led at the plate by Ellie Mataya with a .375 batting average.
- Florida International comes to Madeira Beach with a 9-5 overall record, including two wins over a future Penn State opponent in Rutgers. Jackie Schoff leads the Panthers with a .413 batting average, with 19 hits and five RBI.
- Detroit Mercy has a 6-8 record through the first three weeks of the 2019 season. Ellie Botteller leads the Titans with a .412 batting average while Ashley Mauser has three wins in the circle and 51 strikeouts.
- Florida A&M is just 1-12 so far, but its one win is against a familiar opponent to the Nittany Lions in Syracuse. Tyra Bowers has started all 13 games for the Rattlers and holds a .316 average with 12 hits.
- Central Michigan is 4-6 entering the Madeira Beach Invitational off a bye week. Allison Curtis has a .452 batting average through 10 games with 14 hits and three RBI for the Chippewas.
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State had a tough weekend at the Knights Classic in Orlando, dropping four games in the UCF-hosted tournament.
- Freshman left-handed pitcher Bailey Parshall recorded another game with 10+ strikeouts, taking down 12 of 24 batters faced against Coastal Carolina.
- Freshman Ally Kurland hit her second career home run and classmate Chelsea Bisi added the first of her career.
FIRST SHUTOUT SINCE 2017
- Penn State shut out Duke, 6-0, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Feb. 15.
- It marks the first time since the 2017 season that Penn State has shut out its opponent when they last did so against Nebraska in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
WE'RE PARSHALL TO BAILEY'S STRIKEOUT SUCCESS
- Freshman left-handed pitcher Bailey Parshall has made an immediate impact in the circle for Penn State.
- The Belle Vernon, Pa., native leads the team in total strikeouts (58) and has two games with 10+ strikeouts.
- Parshall struck out 13 Syracuse batters on Feb. 15, the most in a single game by a Nittany Lion pitcher since 2010 and the fourth-most in a single game in program history. She also took down 12 Coastal Carolina batters on Feb. 23.
- Parshall is fifth in the conference and 20th in the nation in total strikeouts.
ROAD WARRIORS
- Penn State will open the 2019 season with 25 straight road games before they play a home contest at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field.
- The Blue and White participate in five road tournaments to start the season, four of which are in the Sunshine State.
- The first weekend in the Sunshine State features the Nittany Lions in the FGCU Kickoff Classic, Feb. 8-10 in Fort Myers, Fla. The team will face Ball State and Kent State twice and host, Florida Gulf Coast, once.
- From there, the team will make their third-straight appearance in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Feb. 15-17 in Durham, N.C. facing Syracuse and Duke twice each.
- Penn State then travels back to Florida for the Knights Classic, Feb. 23-24 in Orlando to face Coastal Carolina, host UCF, Pitt and Louisiana Tech.
- The final trip to Florida includes a 10-day stint during spring break. The team will first play in the Madeira Beach Tournament, March 1-3 against Boston College, Florida International, Detroit Mercy, Florida A&M and Central Michigan. Penn State will then play a mid-week doubleheader against Penn and Villanova on March 6 in Clearwater, Fla. before appearing in the USF Tournament March 8-10 against Holy Cross, South Dakota State, Central Michigan, Saint Joseph's and Toledo.
HOME SWEET HOME
- Penn State will play 17 schedule games on 13 dates inside the friendly confines of Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field.
- After a 25-game road game swing, the Nittany Lions will face Robert Morris for a home-opener doubleheader on Wednesday, March 20.
- The Blue and White will host their first conference series of the season March 29-31 against Wisconsin.
- Penn State is 67-74-1 at Beard Field in its eight year existence for a .475 win percentage.
ON DECK
Penn State remains in Florida for the continuation of its spring break trip. The Nittany Lions will face in-state foes Penn and Villanova in a midweek matchup on Wednesday, March 6 starting at 11 a.m. in Clearwater at the E.C. Moore Softball Complex.