Softball Set for Weekend Road Trip to Virginia for Hokie Invite
PSU to battle No. 15 Virginia Tech, as well as Robert Morris, Radford, James Madison and Villanova
SALEM, Va. – Penn State softball prepares for its final road trip before opening the home slate next weekend in Happy Valley, as the Nittany Lions prepare for their fourth non-conference road tournament of the year at the Hokie Invite hosted by Virginia Tech from the James I. Moyer Sports Complex the weekend of Friday through Sunday, February 28 through March 2.
The Nittany Lions open action with a 10 a.m. (ET) and 12:30 p.m. (ET) twin bill on Friday against Robert Morris and Radford, followed by a pair of meetings Saturday against James Madison and Virginia Tech at 3 p.m. (ET) and 5:30 p.m. (ET). The weekend concludes with a Sunday test against Villanova at 10 a.m. (ET).
Follow the Action
All five of Penn State’s matchups at the Hokie Invite will stream live via MuscoVision. Fans are additionally encouraged to follow along with the Penn State softball social media channels for live updates against all five opponents at this weekend’s event in Virginia. Live stats for all games will be available at the links above or on the Penn State softball schedule webpage.
QUICK HITS
The Blue & White return to action in non-conference play following a 2-2 weekend at the LSU Invitational, with PSU picking up wins against Nicholls and Southern Miss while dropping fixtures to then-No. 6 LSU and a second game against Nicholls. Senior utility Maddie Gordon burst onto the scene last weekend with one of her most effective performances of the year, hitting .455 across all four games while turning in a weekend-long 1.629 OPS. The Shenandoah, Virginia, native returns to her home state after hitting the first two home runs of her senior year last Saturday in Baton Rouge.
THE EARLY GOING
The Blue & White are off to a 5-9 start through the early going of the 2025 campaign, Penn State’s 60th anniversary season. The Nittany Lions have participated in three consecutive weekend tournaments to open the year, going 1-4 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on opening weekend, followed by a 2-3 showing at The Fonseca Memorial Tournament at USF and a 2-2 performance at last weekend’s LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Four Nittany Lions own batting averages above the .300 line, with sophomore infielder Brooke Klosowicz leading the way with a .462 mark and 10 RBI. Junior outfielder Jenna Nelson is in the midst of a breakout effort, hitting .324 this year, while freshman outfielder Natalie Lieto (.324) and fifth-year infielder Meagan Ricks (.302) both lead the way for PSU in the batter’s box. In the circle, senior Mady Volpe leads the team with a 2-2 overall record and 35.0 innings pitched with a .223 opponent batting average.
Penn State vs. Robert Morris
5-9 | 0-0 B1G
2-0 | 0-0 HORIZON
Introducing Robert Morris
ABOUT THE COLONIALS
Keystone State rival Robert Morris travels to Virginia with a 2-0 record after limited action this season caused by weather cancellations, as the Colonials dispatched Iona and Sacred Heart on February 14 and have not played since. Courtney Poulich and Anna Resnik both own .500 batting averages in the early going, and Madelyn Coleman leads the team in wins (1), ERA (0.00) and innings pitched (5.1).
STORY OF THE SERIES
A clash of Pennsylvania rivals, Penn State and Robert Morris will battle for the 18th time on the softball diamond with the Nittany Lions maintaining a 10-7 lead since the first meeting in 1990. PSU has won each of the last two meetings via the run-rule, most recently in 2020.
Penn State vs. Radford
5-9 | 0-0 B1G
6-9 | 0-0 BIG SOUTH
Introducing Radford
ABOUT THE HIGHLANDERS
Led by head coach Kevin Fagan, the Radford Highlanders head up the road to Salem with a 6-9 overall mark following a 10-1 run-rule midweek loss at Tennessee and a 1-3 record at the Liberty Invitational. Amanda Lee and Isabel Harrison stir the drink offensively with a .388 batting average each, while Natalie Jones boasts a 3.34 ERA in the circle through five appearances.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Radford will test the Blue & White for just the fifth time in an all-time series that dates to the 1994 season. Penn State boasts a 3-1 record against the Highlanders and will meet for the first time since PSU picked up an 8-0, five-inning win in 2016.
Penn State vs. James Madison
5-9 | 0-0 B1G
2-7 | 0-0 SBC
Introducing James Madison
ABOUT THE DUKES
Head coach Loren LaPorte steers James Madison into a weekend tournament close to home after picking up their first two wins of the season in the Rocket City Softball Showcase against ETSU and Jacksonville State. Madalyn Johnson leads the pitching staff with 22.2 innings pitched and two complete games, while Kylee Gleason directs the offense with a .368 average in the batter’s box.
STORY OF THE SERIES
James Madison and Penn State will face off for the sixth time in history in a series that dates to 2003, with the Dukes narrowly leading the set by a 3-2 margin. The teams last met in 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida, a 4-1 win for JMU in neutral site play.
Penn State vs. #15 Virginia Tech
5-9 | 0-0 B1G
13-3 | 0-0 ACC
Introducing Virginia Tech
ABOUT THE HOKIES
PSU head coach Clarisa Crowell will square off against her alma mater this weekend, as the No. 15 Virginia Tech Hokies return to action following a 4-1 weekend at the Easton Bama Bash and a dominant 9-0 road win over Liberty Wednesday night. Head coach Pete D’Amour’s team is led by Bre Peck’s .396 batting average and six home runs, while Sophie Kleiman leads the way with a 0.71 ERA.
STORY OF THE SERIES
In an all-time series that dates to 2012, Penn State and Virginia Tech will meet for the seventh time with each squad taking three prior contests apiece. The series is one of extended runs, with PSU winning the first three and VT picking up the most recent trio.
Penn State vs. Villanova
5-9 | 0-0 B1G
5-8 | 0-0 BIG EAST
Introducing Villanova
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Under the direction of head coach Bridget Orchard, the in-state rival Villanova Wildcats carry a 5-8 overall record into the weekend in Salem, with the team currently managing a four-game skid against Clemson, Elon and Marshall. The squad is led by Maranda Runco’s .382 batting average in the box as well as pitcher Lexi Kobryn’s 2.29 ERA in the circle.
STORY OF THE SERIES
One of Penn State’s most recent in-state rivalry series, Penn State and Villanova will battle for just the fourth time since 2019 and first time since 2020. Villanova took both of the two most recent contests in Orlando, Florida, leading the all-time series 2-1 in the process.
Follow the Nittany Lions
Visit GoPSUsports.com for more information on Penn State softball. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion softball team on Facebook at /pennstatesoftball as well as Instagram and X @PennStateSB.