UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team (11-11, 0-0 Big Ten) returns home to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field for the first time in 2022 to host the Penn State Softball Invitational.
Penn State will look to build upon a big 6-0 shutout victory over Pitt on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions will play UMass Lowell, Cornell, and Rider over the course of the weekend.
GAME INFORMATION
- Game 1: Penn State vs. Cornell - Friday, March 18; 2:30 p.m. | Live Stats
- Game 2: Penn State vs. Rider – Friday, March 18; 5 p.m. | Live Stats
- Game 3: Penn State vs. UMass Lowell – Saturday, March 19; 3:30 p.m. | Live Stats
- Game 4: Penn State vs. Cornell – Sunday, March 20; 3 p.m. | Live Stats
- Game 5: Penn State vs. Rider- Sunday, March 20; 5:30 p.m. | Live Stats
SERIES HISTORY
- Penn State and Cornell have only met once before this weekend. The Nittany Lions were victorious over the Big Red 4-0 on May 18, 2001 in the NCAA Region 3 Tournament.
- This will be the first matchups between Penn State and both UMass Lowell and Rider.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
- Cornell enters the weekend with a 1-6 record, having not played since March 11 due to weather cancelations. The Big Red's lone win so far this season came in the form of a 5-2 victory over Siena College. The pitching duo of Gabriele Maday and Mia Burd highlights the Cornell pitching staff that has limited opponents to a .294 batting average in the Big Red's seven games so far. Cornell is hitting a combined .153 through seven games in 2022.
- Rider comes into the weekend 8-6, with its most recent outing being an impressive 8-0 victory at East Carolina on March 14. The Rider offense has had some impressive offensive showings so far in 2022, scoring 13 runs in two games and a whopping 23 runs against Morehead State on March 13. The trio of Kathryn Schmierer, Anna-Mari Groskritz, and Brooklyn Trujillo-Quintana have almost equally split the innings so far in 2022, with Schmierer pacing the group with a 3-1 record and 2.59 ERA.
- UMass Lowell are the hottest team entering the weekend, boosting a 11-5 record and a five-game winning streak. Similar to the Nittany Lions, the River Hawks thrive on defense, posting an American East best .966 fielding percentage. Ryley White has been the star for the River Hawks pitching staff so far this season. The junior is 7-0 with a 1.64 ERA through 47 innings pitched. Becca Vaillancourt paces the offense with a .367 batting average with six RBI and one home run.
LAST TIME OUT
- The Nittany Lions defeated in-state rivals Pitt for the second time in 2022 by a score of 6-0 on Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
- Bailey Parshall dominated the Panthers again, striking out a season-tying 12 batters while only allowing three hits. It was her sixth shutout of the season.
- Kaitlyn Morrison made the most of her start, going 3-3 with two doubles. Lauren Marcotte and Ally Kurland also had big games against the Panthers, notching two RBI each.
- Penn State matched its season high with 12 hits in the game.
QUEEN B
- Senior Bailey Parshall continues to be the standout leader on the Penn State pitching staff so far in 2022. Parshall leads the Nittany Lions with a 7-3 record and a 1.68 ERA over 83.1 innings pitched.
- Parshall recorded her sixth shutout of the season in the Nittany Lions' 6-0 victory over Pitt. She leads the Big Ten and is tied for third in the nation in shutouts.
- The gem of Parshall's season is her perfect game against FIU Feb. 18. The perfect game was the fifth in program history and second to be a seven-inning perfect game. Parshall's perfect effort is the first for Penn State since Missy Beseres blanked St. Francis (Pa.) in five innings on March 30, 2005.
- This was also the 14th no-hitter in Penn State history and first since Ashley Esparza shutdown Illinois in a 13-0 win in five innings on April 5, 2008.
LINDMARK LEADS THE WAY
- Junior Cassie Lindmark has solidified herself as the most potent offensive weapon the Nittany Lions have in 2022.
- After transferring to Happy Valley from Kentucky, Lindmark has been the leader of the Penn State offense. The catcher from Lyons, Illinois leads the Nittany Lions in batting average (.406) and hits (28). She is fifth in the Big Ten in batting average and fifth in hits. Her on base percentage (.487) is also the eighth best in the Big Ten.
- Last weekend, Lindmark was on fire in the batter's box against Delaware. Lindmark went 4-for-6 in two games, hitting two doubles and notching two RBI in the second game alone. She also recorded her third home run of the season in the first game for the game's only run.
KURLAND KILLIN' IT
- Along with Lindmark, senior Ally Kurland has been swinging the bat with a purpose as of late. She leads the Nittany Lions in slugging percentage (.781), doubles (10), and home runs (7).
- Last time out against Pitt, Kurland recorded her team leading 19 RBI in the win. She also recorded her sixth multi-hit game of the season and fourth multi-RBI game.
- At the Carolina Classic, the catcher/designated player hit .438 with five runs scored, nine RBI and a 1.188 slugging percentage thanks to three doubles and three home runs.
- On March 4, Kurland rocked a grand slam in the seventh inning as part of a 12-0 victory over North Carolina. She is the first Nittany Lion to hit a grand slam since Toni Polk against Purdue on April 5, 2019.
- Kurland also had a career-high six RBI off of her two-run double and grand slam against the Tar Heels. Her six RBI are tied for the third-most in program history and the most by a Penn State player since Alyssa VanDerveer had a school-record seven RBI against Fordham on February 27, 2016.
- Kurland is the first Penn State player with five or more RBI in a game since Rebecca Ziegler have five RBI against Virginia Tech on February 19, 2017.
NEAR PERFECTION IN THE FIELD
- Penn State's defensive game so far in 2022 has been one of the best in the entire country.
- The Nittany Lions' .977 fielding percentage is the second-best mark in the Big Ten and the 19th best mark in the entire country.
- Twelve Nittany Lions have a perfect fielding percentage this season.
- The Nittany Lions also have seven shutouts, which is the third best mark in the Big Ten.
ON DECK
- Penn State hosts Saint Francis on Tuesday, March 22 at 6 p.m. before opening Big Ten play against Maryland at home next weekend.
- All Penn State home games and Big Ten road matchups will be broadcasted on B1G+($).