UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- After a jammed packed weekend of softball, the Penn State softball team (16-11, 0-0 Big Ten) returns to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field to face Saint Francis (Pa.) (15-10, 3-0 NEC) in a mid-week clash on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcasted on B1G+ ($).
The Nittany Lions opened last week with a win against Pitt before returning home to Happy Valley for the first time this season to host the Penn State Softball Invitational. Penn State went a perfect 5-0 over the course of the weekend, with wins over Cornell, Rider, and UMass Lowell.
SERIES HISTORY
- This will be the 42nd all-time matchup between Penn State and Saint Francis. The Nittany Lions hold a commanding 32-9 all-time record over the Red Flashes.
- The last time these two teams met was in a doubleheader on April 3, 2019. The teams split the two games, with Penn State winning the first game 8-7 in eight innings before dropping a high scoring game, 17-13.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
- Saint Francis are 15-10 so far in the 2022 season. They are riding a four-game winning streak heading into the game against the Nittany Lions.
- Last time out, the Red Flashes swept LIU in a three-game series to open NEC conference play. In the last game of the series, the Saint Francis offense exploded for 13 runs and defeated LIU 13-4 in six innings.
- Mekenzie Saban has been on a tear so far this season. She is batting .464 with 39 hits, four home runs, and 13 RBI with a .702 slugging percentage. Jordan Pietrzykoski, Olivia Ulam, and Jordan Frank are other Red Flashes that are batting over .300 on the season.
- Rachel Marsden has seen the majority of the innings for Saint Fraincis, going 9-4 with a 3.30 ERA through 92.2 innings pitched. Grace Vesco has pitched 59.1 innings, going 5-6 with a 3.94 ERA.
LAST TIME OUT
- The Nittany Lions ended the Penn State Softball Invitational on Sunday with games against Cornell then Rider.
- In game one against Cornell, the Penn State offense exploded for a 10-2 run rule victory over the Big Red. Maggie Finnegan's three run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning was the game sealing play. Cassie Lindmark also has two RBI and Lydia Spalding earned the win in the circle.
- In game two, Rider and Penn State played out a gritty game with little offense. The game was tied 1-1 heading into the eighth inning after a great pitching duel between Anna-Mari Groskritz of Rider and Bailey Parshall. Lexie Black's walk off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth was enough, as Penn State came out on top 2-1.
QUEEN B
- Senior Bailey Parshall continues to be the standout leader on the Penn State pitching in 2022. Parshall leads the Nittany Lions with a 10-3 record and a 1.44 ERA over 97.1 innings pitched.
- Parshall was named Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week on Monday afternoon after going 4-0 with two complete game shutouts last week. It's the second Big Ten weekly award of her career and she's the first Nittany Lions to win one since she won the same award in March of 2020.
- Parshall's seven shutouts is the best mark in the Big Ten and the second best in the whole country.
- 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 (.427) and hits (35). She is fourth in the Big Ten in batting average.
- Over Penn State's six games last week, Lindmark put up monster numbers. The junior hit .500 with eight hits and six RBI. She also had an on base percentage of .636 and a .688 slugging percentage.
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 (.769), doubles (12), and home runs (9).
- In Penn State's game against UMass Lowell on Saturday, Kurland went 2-4 with a home run and four RBI. It was her fifth multi-RBI game of the season.
- 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' .978 fielding percentage is the best mark in the Big Ten and the 15th best mark in the entire country.
- 13 Nittany Lions have a perfect fielding percentage this season.
ON DECK
- The Nittany Lions open Big Ten play with a home series against Maryland this weekend.
- Game one of the series is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 25. The game will be broadcasted on B1G+ ($).