Penn State Starts 10-Game Spring Break Trip This WeekendPenn State Starts 10-Game Spring Break Trip This Weekend
Eric Espada/Penn State University

Penn State Starts 10-Game Spring Break Trip This Weekend

Opens in a new window Game Notes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team starts its 10-game spring break trip this weekend, March 6-8, in Clearwater, Fla. The Nittany Lions will play Yale, Bowling Green, Seton Hall, Robert Morris and Western Michigan in the Clearwater Spring Break Invitational Friday through Sunday.
 
GAME INFORMATION

  • Game 1: Penn State vs. Yale – Friday, March 6; 2:30 p.m.
  • Game 2: Penn State vs. Bowling Green – Friday, March 6; 5 p.m.
  • Game 3: Penn State vs. Seton Hall – Saturday, March 7; 9 a.m.
  • Game 4: Penn State vs. Robert Morris – Saturday, March 7; 11:30 a.m.
  • Game 5: Penn State vs. Western Michigan – Sunday, March 8; 9 a.m.
  • Live stats available for all games at gopsusports.com.
  • All games played at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla.

SERIES HISTORY

  • Penn State has met up on the field with all five of its weekend opponents.
  • The Nittany Lions will first meet Yale and look to stay undefeated all-time against the Bulldogs with a current 2-0 edge with the last meeting in 2016.
  • Penn State is 3-1 all-time against both Bowling Green and Seton Hall, but it has not seen the Falcons since 2011 or the Pirates since 2004.
  • Penn State holds a 9-6 advantage over in-state foe Robert Morris. Last season the two teams split the series in Happy Valley, with the Nittany Lions winning 11-0 in five innings in game two.
  • The only losing record the Nittany Lions have against the field in weekend one is against Western Michigan who holds a 4-2 edge. The teams last faced off in 2013 also in Clearwater.

SCOUTING THE FIELD

  • Yale is 4-6 to start the season, having started two weeks after most teams opened 2020. The Bulldogs are led at the plate by Annie Tarte with a .387 batting average with 12 hits and five RBI. Sydney Grobman has a team-high eight RBI on 11 hits. In the circle, Julia Grobman and Nic Conway have seen a similar amount of innings and hold ERAs of 4.26 and 2.67, respectively.
  • Bowling Green is an even .500 with a 6-6 record. Madi McCoy leads the Falcons with a .308 batting average with 12 hits and five RBI while Logan Everett adds a team-high 11 RBI on nine hits. Payton Gottshall pitches a majority of the innings with 60.0 innings pitched and appearances in all but one game. She holds a 2.22 ERA and has 93 strikeouts.
  • Seton Hall is 6-12 heading into spring break. Seven Pirates have double-digit hits, with Abby Wingo and Baylee Allender leading the way with 19. Darby Pandolfo paces the team with a .340 batting average and 13 RBI. Four Pirates have all made nearly even appearances in the circle as the staff holds a 5.22 ERA.
  • Robert Morris is 6-8 overall. Natalie Higgins has a team-high 19 hits and 12 RBI. Dana Vatakis leads the Colonials in the circle with a 2.33 ERA in 51.0 innings pitched.
  • Western Michigan is 3-13, but one of its wins came against then-No. 22 Arizona State opening weekend. Sydney Stefanick has a team-high .388 batting average with 19 hits while four Broncos have five-plus RBI. Stefanick is also the leader in the circle with 56.2 innings pitched and a 6.99 ERA.

SPRING BREAK TOUR

  • Penn State will play 10 different opponents during its spring break trip down in Clearwater, Fla.
  • The Nittany Lions will face Yale, Bowling Green, Seton Hall, Robert Morris and Western Michigan in weekend one of the Clearwater Spring Break Invitational, March 6-8, before facing UT Chattanooga, Providence, Winthrop and Army the second weekend, March 13-14.
  • Penn State will also play a midweek contest at South Florida on Wednesday, March 11.

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 81 strikeouts this season, good for fourth in the conference and 24th nationally. Her 8.8 strikeouts per seven innings is also fifth in the Big Ten and 57th in the nation.
  • Her 5.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio is second in the conference and 44th nationally.
  • Parshall picked up her 200th career strikeout on Feb. 14 and sits at 265 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.

OATLEY SHUTOUTS

  • Freshman pitcher Vanessa Oatley has had a good start to her rookie campaign, holding a 3.41 ERA in 39.0 innings.
  • Oatley's thrown two complete-game shutouts, good for first in the Big Ten and 25th nationally.

ON DECK
Penn State continues its spring break trip with a midweek contest at South Florida on Wednesday, March 11. The Nittany Lions will then play four more games in the Clearwater Spring Break Invitational, March 13-14, against UT Chattanooga, Providence, Winthrop and Army.