UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – After 25 games on the road, the Penn State Nittany Lion softball team finally graced Beard Field in its home opener with a doubleheader against Robert Morris Wednesday night.
The coaches and players were all looking forward to getting on the field in front of a home crowd and the home opener seems to have lived up to the expectations.
"It was really good to play at home," head coach Amanda Lehotak said. "To play 60 to 70 percent of your games on the road, to sleep in your bed, [be in] your locker room, your routine, your music. It's a breath of fresh air."
Freshman catcher Ally Kurland, who went 3-6 with a home run in the series, echoed her coach's words.
"It was really good to play in front of our fans," she said. "Having all of our fans here, having our backs and cheering for us, it's just such a good feeling."
The first game of the doubleheader didn't go as expected as some fielding errors and struggles at the plate led the way to a 4-1 loss. However, the second game of the series looked like a completely different Nittany Lion team.
Penn State went on to win by a score of 11-0, ending the game in just 5 innings. The Nittany Lions did most of their damage during the third inning in which a two-out rally helped lead to a 10-run inning.
When asked about what changed from game one to game two, Lehotak says she just saw her team play like themselves.
"Once we settled in, that's how we have been playing all year," she said. "I think they calmed down. I also think they were a little mad at themselves," she continued. "I was really happy with how our kids settled in and came back."
Freshman infielder Claire Swedberg, who went 2-4 in the batter's box and recorded 3 RBI's including a home run, thinks her first home series as a Nittany Lion is a learning experience.
"I think [we proved] our resiliency too," she said. "Just being able to prove that again and knowing that we can come back after a rough start is good feeling going into the Big Ten series."
Kurland also believes that the first home series will help moving into conference play saying, "It's a big confidence booster going into [Michigan State]."
Coach Lehotak is excited for conference play to begin this weeknd in East Lansing, Michigan against the Spartans, and believes her team is prepared for the challenge that is Big Ten conference play.
"I think they're ready for it. I think they needed tonight," she said. "Hopefully this gives us some rhythm going into the weekend."
Penn State will head into conference play this weekend holding a 14-13 record. They will play three games in against Michigan State before heading out for a matchup with Pittsburgh on March 27.
The Nittany Lions will be back home on March 29-31 when they will play Wisconsin in a three-game series which will be the first home conference games of the season.
