Softball Returns to Florida for Pair of Three-Game SeriesSoftball Returns to Florida for Pair of Three-Game Series
Ben Solomon

Softball Returns to Florida for Pair of Three-Game Series

Opens in a new window Game Notes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team, under first-year head coach Clarisa Crowell, returns to Leesburg, Fla. and the Big Ten "bubble" for six more games, March 11-14. The Nittany Lions will face Iowa and Illinois in three-game series each at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex. All the games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+.

GAME INFORMATION

SERIES HISTORY

  • Playing a Big Ten-only schedule in 2021, Penn State will face familiar opponents all season long.
  • The Nittany Lions' first three games come against the Iowa Hawkeyes. The teams will play a doubleheader on Thursday, March 11 starting at 10 a.m. and then will conclude the series on Friday, March 12 at 11 a.m.
  • Penn State trails Iowa in the all-time series, 20-39. The two teams have not faced off since the 2016 season when the Nittany Lions took two-of-three games in Iowa City.
  • The final three games of the weekend will be against the Illinois Fighting Illini. The first two games will be played as a doubleheader on Saturday, March 13 starting at 10:20 a.m. and then the series will conclude on Sunday, March 14 at 9:20 a.m.
  • Penn State trails Illinois in the all-time series, 15-24. The Fighting Illini took two-of-three from the Nittany Lions at Beard Field back in 2018.

SCOUTING THE FIELD

  • Iowa went 2-4 the first weekend down in Florida to open the 2021 season. Sophomore Nia Carter leads the Hawkeyes with a .500 batting average with 10 hits and three RBI. Junior Riley Sheehy is also batting well at .385 with five hits and two RBI. The Iowa pitching staff has seen five total Hawkeyes in the circle. Seniors Allison Doocy and Sarah Lehman have seen the most innings, holding ERAs of 1.93 and 2.77, respectively.
  • Illinois is 5-1 to start 2021, including two big wins over then-No. 17 Michigan to end the first weekend in Florida. Junior Avrey Steiner is batting .500 with 11 hits and six RBI. Junior Kailee Powell and redshirt freshman Jaelyn Vickery are also hitting above .400 at .421 and .412, respectively. In the circle, five Fighting Illini pitchers have seen innings. Juniors Sydney Sickels and Addy Jarvis have pitched the most, with ERAs of 0.42 and 1.66, respectively. Illinois is receiving votes in two of the major polls.

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State's opening weekend did not produce the results the team wanted, but the Nittany Lions showed lots of grit and a "never give up" attitude.
  • Junior Lilia Crouthamel led the Nittany Lions at the plate through the six games, batting .313 with five hits and three RBI. Senior Dani Fey added three hits and led the team with a .417 on-base percentage, also drawing two walks.
  • In the circle, junior Bailey Parshall pitched the most innings throughout the weekend. She recorded 11 strikeouts in game one against Wisconsin for her ninth career double-digit strikeout performance.

WE'RE PARSHALL TO BAILEY'S STRIKEOUT SUCCESS

  • Lefty ace Bailey Parshall registered 20 strikeouts opening weekend, including an 11-strikeout performance against Wisconsin in game one on Feb. 26.
  • Her 11 strikeouts against the Badgers marks her ninth career double-digit strikeout performance.
  • Parshall now totals 333 career strikeouts to move into seventh all-time in the Penn State record books, passing Marlaina Laubach (323, 2014-17).
  • The Belle Vernon, Pa., native ranks seventh in the conference with an average 8.1 strikeouts per seven innings.

CROUTHAMEL LEADING AT THE PLATE

  • Junior outfielder Lilia Crouthamel is leading the Nittany Lions at the plate after the first weekend of games.
  • The Allentown, Pa., native is batting .313 with five hits and three RBI, which paces the team in both categories.
  • Crouthamel's five hits is already a season-career high while the three RBI matches her season best from a year ago as she starts to find her stride in her junior campaign.

FRESHMEN IMPACT

  • The Penn State freshmen have already played a key role in the team's lineup after the first weekend.
  • Lauren Marcotte has started every game at shortstop for the Nittany Lions and recorded her first collegiate hit against Wisconsin in game two on Feb. 26. She has also scored two runs, tied for a team high.
  • Outfielders Mel Coombs and Liana Jones have also been in the starting lineups, starting three games and two games, respectively. Both have recorded hits and Coombs has also driven in a run.

ON DECK
Penn State will have a week off before starting traditional Big Ten-series play on campus sites. The Nittany Lions travel to Lincoln, Neb. To face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in four games, March 26-28.