UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team goes back south to the Atlanta, Ga. area for the I-75 Challenge, Feb. 28-March 1. The Nittany Lions will play doubleheaders at Georgia State and Georgia Tech Friday and Saturday, respectively, before concluding the trip with a single game at Kennesaw State on Sunday.
GAME INFORMATION
- Games 1 & 2: Penn State at Georgia State (doubleheader) – Friday, Feb. 28; 1 p.m.
- Games 3 & 4: Penn State at Georgia Tech (doubleheader) – Saturday, Feb. 29; 1 p.m.
- Game 5: Penn State at Kennesaw State – Sunday, March 1; 11 a.m.
SERIES HISTORY
- Penn State has met up on the field with all three of its weekend opponents.
- The Nittany Lions will play Georgia State Friday for the first time since 2011, looking to remain ahead of the series that currently sits at 3-1.
- Penn State and Georgia Tech last met in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in 2017 when the Nittany Lions took both games to move ahead in the series (4-2).
- The Nittany Lions hope to stay undefeated against the Owls of Kennesaw State to move to 3-0 in the series in the first game between the two teams since 2011.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
- Georgia State holds a record of 3-11. The Panthers are led at the plate by senior Sydney Stavro who maintains a .310 batting average with a team-high 13 hits. Redshirt junior Caitlin Ray leads the team in RBI with eight and has 12 hits. In the circle, freshman Sophie Mooney has seen the most innings at 31.2 with a 5.08 ERA and 38 strikeouts.
- Georgia Tech is right below a .500 record at 6-8. Junior Cameron Stanford leads the Yellow Jackets with a .343 average with 12 hits and eight RBI while freshman Emma Kauf holds a .333 average with a team-high 14 hits and eight RBI. Seven different Yellow Jackets have seen time in the circle, but senior Morgan Bruce has put in the most innings at 29.1 and holds a 4.53 ERA.
- Kennesaw State sits at 13-2 overall with its most recent loss to Georgia Tech Wednesday evening. Four Owls are batting above .400 with sophomore Katie Greep leading the way at .469. Freshman Cheyanne Sales leads the team in RBI with 18 while senior Brea Dickey has the most hits with 20. The Owl pitching staff holds a team ERA of 2.14. Freshman Melanie Bennett has pitched the most innings with 33.1 and an ERA of 1.89 with 32 strikeouts.
LEGG BACK IN LINEUP
- Redshirt junior Kennedy Legg is back in 2020 after missing the 2019 season due to injury.
- The Keller, Texas, native has proved she was missed, pacing the team with a .389 batting average a .528 on-base percentage.
- She has 14 hits, including a team-high five multi-hit games and eight RBI.
- She was a major contributor to the comeback victory against Cal on Feb. 7, going 2-for-3 at the plate with the game-tying RBI.
- Legg has also earned two all-tournament team honors this season, at the Felsberg Invitational opening weekend and the Easton Bama Bash last weekend.
WE'RE PARSHALL TO BAILEY'S STRIKEOUT SUCCESS
- Lefty ace Bailey Parshall picked up 2020 right where she left off 2019 as a freshman.
- The Belle Vernon, Pa., native has 54 strikeouts this season, good for fifth in the conference and 40th nationally. Her 9.1 strikeouts per seven innings is also fourth in the Big Ten and 54th in the nation.
- Parshall picked up her 200th career strikeout on Feb. 14 and sits at 238 in her career for ninth all-time in the program record books.
- She struck out a season-high 13 batters in a complete game in Penn State's 3-1 victory over Iowa State on Feb. 15.
- Parshall also has one save this season to total six in her career, tied for third all-time in program history for career saves.
ON DECK
Penn State heads to Clearwater, Fla. for this season's spring break trip. The Nittany Lions will play in the Clearwater Spring Break Invitational March 6-8 and again March 13-14 while also playing a midweek game at USF on March 11.