Penn State softball (15-3) returns to Happy Valley to begin its home slate for the 2023 season during the Penn State Classic. The Nittany Lions will host Binghamton, UMBC, Cornell and Canisius.
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State and Cornell have matched up three times before as the Nittany Lions have emerged victorious in all three. Last season at the Penn State Classic, Penn State and Cornell took their contest into extra-innings before the Nittany Lions pulled away with a walk-off 3-2 win.
Canisius and Penn State have faced off once before as the Nittany Lions handled the Griffins 8-0.
Binghamton and Penn State have only faced off one time as well. The Nittany Lions were able to down the Bearcats 6-2. They have not played each other since 2004.
Penn State and UMBC have never faced each other in regular season play but did play a scrimmage earlier this spring. The Nittany Lions were able to handle the Retrievers with a 11-0 mercy rule win.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Cornell is off to a 4-6 start this season. The Big Red was able to win three of their five games this past weekend at the Retriever Classic, including a 2-1 victory against UMBC who they will face twice this weekend in Happy Valley.
Canisius is 9-8 in the early season featuring a key win against Boston University who Penn State fell to twice earlier this year at the Queen City Classic. Junior Megan Giese is the Griffins ace in the circle winning MAAC pitcher of the year last year, and already amassing five wins in 10 appearances this season.
Binghamton is 11-7 this season with a key win against Florida Gulf Coast. They also swept their matchups at the Pirate-Spartan Classic beating Norfolk State, University of Delaware and Hampton twice.
UMBC is 8-5 to begin the season. Emerging freshman third baseman Emily Riggs is riding a hot streak of games at the plate and just won America East Rookie of the Week.
HOT START
The Nittany Lions began the season 7-0, matching their best start in program history with the 1974 team. They are now 15-3 which is the second-best start in program history through 18 games. The 2006 team got off to an 18-3 start.
Penn State shut out five of its first six teams that it faced. The five shutouts were consecutive, which is a school record for most consecutive shutouts.
SWINGING HOT BATS
Penn State has outscored its opponents 112-34 this season and are outhitting opponents 136-62. The Nittany Lions are tied for second in the Big Ten in on base percentage (.385).
Kaitlyn Morrison leads the team with a .407 batting average which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. She also leads the team in hits (22) and RBIs (17).
The Nittany Lions have seven players who hold over .400 on base percentage.
In addition, Penn State has walked (74) more times than it has struck out (54).
BASE ROBBERS
Penn State is 34-for-37 during the early season when attempting to steal bases.
Junior Melody Coombs leads the team with 13 steals on 14 attempts. She ranks third in the Big Ten in steals this season. Coombs is sixth in the nation is steals per-game with .92. Maggie Finnegan is second on the team with six steals.
Penn State's 2.08 stolen bases per game are good for second in the Big Ten and 29th nationally.
DOMINANCE IN THE CIRCLE
Kylee Lingenfelter (1.08) and Bailey Parshall (1.21) are fifth and sixth in the Big Ten for earned run average.
The Nittany Lions as a team hold the 19th best ERA in the nation at 1.71.
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions continue their home stand to begin the season next week with a midweek matchup vs. Pitt, before a weekend series against Iowa to open Big Ten play.
--Nittany Lions--