ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 10, 2002 - Sophomore Marisa Hanson (Victoria, Texas/Victoria) struck out a career-high nine batters to lead the Nittany Lion softball team to a 6-0 upset of third-seeded and No. 22 Iowa at the Big Ten Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich. Penn State also defeated sixth-seeded Illinois, 5-3, to advance to the tournament semifinals. Hanson was also the winning pitcher against the Illini. It is her third of the tournament, tying a Big Ten Tournament record.

The Hawkeyes did not give up a hit to the Nittany Lions in the first four innings of play, but that did not make much of a difference as Penn State took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Iowa committed two errors in the inning and intentionally walked senior co-captain Jennifer Tripken (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley) to load the bases. A sacrifice fly from junior Megan Humphrey (San Diego, Calif./Mount Carmel) gave the Lions the first lead of the game.

Penn State finally broke through for a couple of hit in the fifth inning. Junior Kelley Galigher (Pleasanton, Calif./Foothill) doubled to right field to reach base. A wild pitch and an RBI-single from senior Susan Shuplock (Brea, Calif./Brea-Olinda) scored Galigher, extending the lead to 2-0.

Six base hits and four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning put the game away, as the Lions went on to claim the upset-victory, 6-0, and eliminated Iowa from the tournament.

The six runs are the most the Lions have scored against Iowa since 1994. It is also the first time the Hawkeyes have recorded two losses to open the Big Ten Tournament.

Shuplock and Humphrey each drove in two runs as Shuplock went 2-for-3.

The Lions did not waste any time against the Illini, taking a 3-0 lead after two innings of play. Junior Erin Norton (Orange, Calif./El Modena) drove in the Lions' first run in the first inning with an RBI-double. In the second inning, junior Jackie Dabrowski (Lafayette Hill, Pa./Whitemarsh Plymouth) led off with a single to left field. Senior Gina Bianchini's (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) sacrifice fly scored freshman Scarlett Neal (Huntinton Beach, Calif./Edison) who pinch ran for Dabrowski. Freshman Mandy Nuxoll (Kelso, Wash./Kelso) then hit a two-out RBI single to make the score 3-0.

But Illinois would not go away. The Illini notched three hits in the fourth and two in the fifth, resulting in a run in each inning to cut into the lead, 3-2.

However, with two outs and Nuxoll on first base in the top of the seventh inning, Tripken hit her fourth home run of the tournament, giving Penn State a three-run cushion heading into the bottom half of the inning.

Illinois did tack on another run, making the score 5-3, but freshman Tina Skelly (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) closed out the inning with a ground out to preserve the win.

Hanson earned her 16th win of the season and third of the tournament, going 4.1 innings. Skelly posts her fourth save of the season, striking out three batters in 2.2 innings of work.

Nuxoll ended the game 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs score, while Tripken went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

The Lions' three Big Ten Tournament wins in the tournament is the most wins since going 3-2 in the 2000 tournament. Tripken continues to crush the previous Penn State single-season home run record of 12, claiming 16 on the season.

Penn State faces second-seeded and No. 20 Ohio State in the semifinal game of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday, May 11 at 12 p.m. The winner of that game moves on the play top-seeded Michigan in the championship game at 2:30 p.m. Penn State softball can be heard live on WMAJ or on Penn State's official athletics web site at www.GoPSUsports.com.

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