Penn State Awaits Final Five Games of Spring Break Tour, Road Game StandPenn State Awaits Final Five Games of Spring Break Tour, Road Game Stand
PSU Athletics/Selders

Penn State Awaits Final Five Games of Spring Break Tour, Road Game Stand

Opens in a new window USF Tournament Series Notes

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Penn State softball team is set to complete the final five games of its 12-game spring break tour and 25-game road stand this weekend at the USF Tournament series. The Nittany Lions will face Holy Cross, South Dakota State, Central Michigan, Saint Joseph's and Toledo, March 8-10 at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, Fla.

GAME INFORMATION

  • Game 21: Penn State vs. Holy Cross - Friday, March 8, 10 a.m. (Field 2)
  • Game 22: Penn State vs. South Dakota State - Friday, March 8, 3 p.m. (Field 3)
  • Game 23: Penn State vs. Central Michigan - Saturday, March 9, 9:30 a.m. (Field 1)
  • Game 24: Penn State vs. Saint Joseph's - Saturday, March 9, 12 p.m. (Field 2)
  • Game 25: Penn State vs. Toledo - Sunday, March 10, 9 a.m. (Field 4)

* All games played at Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, Fla.
* Live Stats (all games)
* Listen (PSU Comm Radio – games 21-24)
 
SERIES HISTORY

  • Penn State has met on the field with three of the five weekend opponents, including once already this season with Central Michigan.
  • Friday's games will mark the first meetings in program history with Holy Cross and South Dakota State.
  • The Nittany Lions are undefeated against Saint Joseph's (20-0) and Toledo (5-0) but have never played either team in the Amanda Lehotak era.
  • The all-time series is tied at 11 wins each with Central Michigan after the Nittany Lions beat the Chippewas, 7-2, at the Madeira Beach Invitational on March 3.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

  • Holy Cross enters the USF Tournaments series 2-6 on the season. Taylor Wahler leads the Crusaders with a .367 batting average, including 11 hits.
  • South Dakota State is 14-4 to start 2019, including a nine-game winning streak entering the weekend. Ali Herdliska leads the Jackrabbits at the plate with a .453 batting average which includes 24 hits and 23 RBI.
  • Central Michigan will look for a rematch with the Nittany Lions after falling, 7-2, on March 3 on the final day of the Madeira Beach Invitational. The Chippewas are 7-11 and have lost five of their last eight games.
  • Saint Joseph's is 6-2 after only playing two weekends this season. The Hawks are led at the plate by Sarah Ostaszewski with a .429 batting average and .607 slugging percentage.
  • Toledo is 6-8 but will play four games before facing Penn State on Sunday. Kylie Norwood leads the Rockets with a .378 batting average with 17 hits and 12 RBI.

SPRING BREAK TOUR

  • Penn State is halfway through its 2019 spring break tour, playing 12 games in 10 days in the Clearwater area.
  • The Nittany Lions are 5-2 through the first seven games. The team went 4-1 at the Madeira Beach Invitational and split a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday against fellow Pennsylvania schools Penn and Villanova.
  • Both losses only came by a one-run differential.

FRESHMEN DUO COMBINES FOR SHUTOUT

  • The Penn State pitching staff has shut out two opponents in 2019 via the work in the circle by freshmen Kylee Lingenfelter and Bailey Parshall.
  • Lingenfelter and Parshall combined to shut out Duke, 6-0, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Feb. 15 and Florida A&M, 2-0, in the Madeira Beach Invitational on March 3.
  • It marks the first time since the 2017 season that Penn State has had two shutouts in the same season.

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 (87) and has three games with 10+ strikeouts.
  • Parshall struck out 15 Detroit Mercy batters on March 2 to tie the program record for most strikeouts in a single game.
  • Parshall is second in the conference and 11th in the nation in total strikeouts as of March 6.

DINGER CITY

  • Penn State has hit 11 home runs through the first 20 games, including three multi-home run games.
  • Senior Toni Polk and freshman Ally Kurland lead the team with three dingers each.

ROAD WARRIORS

  • Penn State wraps up a 25-game road stand at the USF Tournament Series this weekend.
  • The Nittany Lions spent five straight weekends on the road, including four tournaments in the Sunshine State.

300 CAREER WINS IN THE LEHOTAK FILE

  • Head coach Amanda Lehotak enters her sixth year under the helm of Penn State softball.
  • Lehotak recorded her 300th career win as the Nittany Lions took down Central Michigan on March 3 of the Madeira Beach Invitational and now has a 301-379 career record.
  • Lehotak tallied her 100th win at Penn State in the 2018 season and now has a  113-173 record with the Nittany Lions.

ON DECK
Penn State will have a bye week before finally hosting its first home game of the 2019 season. The Nittany Lions will welcome Robert Morris to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field on Wednesday, March 20 for a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.