May 8, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
The No. 11 Buckeyes are 42-9 overall and 14-4 in the Big Ten Conference at second place behind No. 8 Michigan. Sam Marder leads Ohio State in batting with a .369 average. Her eight doubles, one triple and 17 home runs have generated 40 RBI throughout the season. Alicia Herron is also a threat with an average of .321. She leads the Buckeyes in RBI at 45 through 12 home runs and six doubles. Marder was tabbed Big Ten Player of the Week on March 16 while Herron is the reigning player of the week.

Ohio State is also solid in the circle with a total ERA of 1.67. Kim Reeder boasts an ERA of 1.45 with 17 complete games and nine shutouts while Lindsay Bodeker has an ERA of 1.89 with seven shutouts and four saves. Reeder has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the week three times this season, including a National Player of the Week title on February 16.

The Buckeyes first got notice early this season after sweeping then-No. 5 and the 2008 NCAA runner-up Texas A&M by scores of 9-3 and 2-0. From then on, Ohio State has been climbing the charts and tearing through the competition scoring nearly three times as many runs as the opponents.

This will be the 63rd and 64th meeting between the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions. In a series that began in 1975, Ohio State holds the advantage 36-26.

SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State stands at 19-25 overall and 7-11 in conference play after spliting with Indiana last weekend. Ashley Griffith leads with a .302 batting average while Lisa Akamine isn't far behind at .291. Danielle Kinley checks in at .289 with 11 doubles, a triple and three home runs for 19 RBI. In addition, Sam Hovanec has proven to be a force at bat with four doubles and four home runs for 22 RBI.

Jackie Hill has continually dominated in the circle with an ERA of 1.10. She has struck out 145 in 153.1 innings of work while throwing 19 complete games and six shutouts.

Penn State has notable wins against then-No. 13 DePaul, 4-1, and then-No. 12 Arizona, 9-6. The win over the Blue Demons came at the NFCA Leadoff Classic as the Nittany Lions rallied in the sixth to plate four and never looked back. Hill threw a one-hitter in the victory.

More recently, the Lions upended the Wildcats of Arizona at the Judi Garman Classic with an explosive first inning as they drove in four runs with the help of a three run blast by Hovanec. Arizona threatened as the Wildcats brought the score to 4-5 in the fifth, but Penn State mimicked the success of the first inning in the sixth with four more runs as Giordano added a three-run shot of her own.

LAST TIME OUT
Penn State got started early in the first game of the Indiana double header as junior left fielder Ashley Griffith (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) singled down the left field line. She proceeded to steal second and scored as senior first baseman Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) singled and advanced to second on the throw.

The Hoosiers bounced back with a big third inning as Ashley Hobbs reached on a double. Heather Nelson then came in to pinch run and advanced to third with a sacrifice. Emily Bergeson then reached on a walk and advanced to third when Kelsey Stander reached on a fielding error. Jennifer Glueckert then doubled to deep center field to drive in Bergeson and Stander before Indiana was retired. The Hoosiers extended their lead in the fifth as Stander reached on a second error and scored on a Glueckert triple.

Penn State rallied in the sixth as freshman designated player Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) singled. Mary Ostman (Northbrook, Ill.) then came in to pinch run as freshman catcher Danee Collett (Orange, Calif.) fired her third home run of the season. But no more runs would score as Indiana took the game in the 4-3 decision.

Penn State scored three runs with eight hits while Indiana scored four runs with six hits. Junior pitcher Jackie Hill (San Jose, Calif.) fanned seven in the loss to become 13-10 in the circle.

The Lions got off to a good start in the nightcap as well. Collet led off with a single through the left side. Ostman then came in to pinch run and worked her way to third with a single by junior shortstop Desi Giordano (West Caldwell, N.J.). Senior third baseman Shana Madura (Slate Hill, N.Y.) then stepped up the plate and ripped a base hit up the middle to score Ostman with an RBI single.

Indiana responded in the bottom of the third when Kristin King singled up the middle. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and then scored on a Lion fielding error.

Penn State answered in the bottom of the fourth when Giordano singled with two outs. Madura then ripped a single up the middle and advanced when the center fielder fumbled the ground ball which allowed Giordano to score.

The Lions had an explosive sixth as Akamine singled past third base. Collett the ripped a triple down the right field line to score Carnie Smith (New Wilmington, Pa.) who was pinch running. Freshman designated player Ellen McNair (Niceville, Fla.) then sent a ball deep to center field as it bounced off the fence and back into play, giving her a double and scoring Collett. Giordano was then walked before Madura hit a two RBI double to right center. Griffith then grounded out, the first out of the inning, to advance Madura to third before Kinley launched a deep home run to left center. Penn State kept it going as senior second baseman Kayce Zielinski (Arlington, Texas) singled to center field and scored on an Akamine double to left center. With a seven run sixth inning, the Lions run-ruled the Hoosiers to take the game in a 9-1 decision.

LAST TIME AGAINST OHIO STATE
The opening stanza of the doubleheader was a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to put many runs on the board. The Buckeyes struck first with a run in the bottom of the third. PSU would trail 1-0 for the next two innings before an Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.) double followed by a Kayce Zielinski (Arlington, Texas) single tied the game up, 1-1. Things would stay the same until the top of the 11th when Sam Hovanec (Pittsburgh, Pa.) drove a two-run homerun over the left field fence.

The Buckeyes would try and recover with a run in the bottom half but it would not be enough as the Nittany Lions were victorious, 3-2.

Hovanec led all Nittany Lion batters going 3-for-5 with the two RBIs and a run scored. Jen Acunto (Hollywood, Fla.) and Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) each added two hits a piece.

Esparza picked up the win in the circle going the full 11.0 innings while striking out seven and allowing just two walks.

Game two got off to a much faster start as both teams combined for five runs in the first two innings. Esparza got things on track for the Nittany Lions as she blasted a solo homerun in the first inning. OSU would respond in the bottom half scoring two runs and going on top 2-1.

Three hits and an error in the second would convert into two more runs for the Nittany Lions as they went ahead 3-2. The score would remain the same until the bottom of the seventh when OSU drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game. One batter later, OSU hit a walk-off single off the center field fence.

KINLEY NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
For the third time in her career, senior first baseman Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) has earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District recognition. To qualify, the student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 GPA and either be a starter or key reserve player. All nominees are then voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A first team selection in 2007 and 2008, she is a second team selection in District II this year.

Last year she was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team as well as earning Academic All-Big Ten honors. She will graduate this May with a degree in film and plans to do social work in New York City after this summer with the Philadelphia Force. She has also applied for grad school to master in social work starting next September.

LIONS COMBINE FOR 15 HITS, NEW SEASON HIGH
Throughout the season, the Penn State softball team has proven its ability to connect the bat with the ball. The Lions have outhit their opponents in half of the 44 contests on the year, helping to produce 14 victories.

Penn State has been able to keep up with and surpass national powers such as Arizona State, North Carolina, DePaul, Arizona, Northwestern and Iowa at bat. The most hits up until this weekend was 14 against then-No. 3 Washington on March 13 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

With 15 hits against Indiana in the nightcap, Penn State surpassed that mark. The team effort helped the Lions to a .517 batting average for the game.

LIONS HONORED AT ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
After a thrilling, 9-1, victory over Indiana at the last home contest of the year, the Penn State softball team and their families retreated to the Nittany Lion Inn for the annual awards banquet. After dinner was served, head coach Robin Petrini announced the awards winners for the 2009 season.

Most Improved Player - Christana Crivellaro
Defensive Player of the Year - Ashley Griffith
Offensive Player of the Year - Danielle Kinley
Blue and White Award - Christana Crivellaro
Most Valuable Player - Sam Hovanec

Crivellaro moved into a starting role this year. She made big things happen on both sides of the ball from rare double plays when connecting with first from the outfield, to hitting her first career home run at Nittany Lion Field in the Wisconsin series a few weeks ago. In addition, as the Blue and White Award winner, she was recognized as the player who exemplifies commitment, desire and unity towards Penn State softball and the University as a whole.

Griffith received her first individual award as the Defensive Player of the Year. The left fielder is know for making diving catches, but her biggest play of the year was beating a would-be home run to the fence and making the grab just beyond the field to secure a shutout against Wisconsin.

One of the most decorated players in Penn State softball history, Kinley received the Offensive MVP award which she has carried since her freshman year. Not only is she the first player to receive this honor in consecutive years, she is the first player to win any team honor throughout her entire career. The reigning all-time doubles record holder is top ten in mutiple categories including batting average, walks and RBI.

Hovanec was 2008's most improved player and she carried that into the 2009 season as she was voted by her teammates to be the Most Valuable Player. She has come up big for Penn State multiple times with three-RBI home runs to propel the Lions in a thrilling upset over then-No. 12 Arizona and is the current RBI leader for the season at 22.