TUSCALOOSA, Ala.; February 20, 2005- The Nittany Lion softball team dropped its final game of the Crimson Classic Sunday, falling to Missouri 5-1. Penn State is now 1-4 to start the season, while Missouri raised its record to 8-1.

Penn State scattered five hits over the first six innings, but couldn't get a run on the board. The Lions' best chance came with one out in the fifth inning when freshman Jen Acunto (Hollywood, Fla.) singled to third base and outfielder Jen Williams (Stillwater, Okla.) reached on an error. A Meghan Wolfer (Northampton, Pa.) single loaded the bases, but the scoring chance was snuffed out when junior Leigh Murray (Fairfax Station, Va.) popped into a double play which also got Acunto at third.

Missouri made the Lions pay with a big inning in the top of the seventh in which the Tigers were able to score all five of their runs. Missouri used three hits and three Nittany Lion errors to pull out of PSU's reach. The Nittany Lions' only run of the day came from Acunto on her second homerun of the year in the game's final inning.

Freshman Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.) took the loss for PSU in five innings of work after striking out four. Classmate Jenn Reynolds (Clovis, Calif.) pitched the final two innings, striking out one and allowing no earned runs. Erica Peterson earned the win with a complete game two-strikeout performance for the Tigers.

Acunto and fellow freshman Hollee Haines (Riverside, Calif.) were both named to the all-tounrnament team and combined for seven of the Lions' 10 RBIs. Acunto provided three, batted .385 for the weekend and hit two homeruns, while Haines drove in four runs and hit one homerun on the tournament.

Penn State's next action comes at the Central Florida Tournament on March 4-6 in Orlando, Fla.