Lady sluggers split 2

By LAWRENCE R.V. POTTER
Collegian Sports Writer

A steady drizzle dampened the first two innings in game one of the Lady Lion softball team's doubleheader versus Akron yesterday, but disappeared for much of the doubleheader.

Fittingly, the light rainfall made its return in the last couple of innings of the second game.

The rain combined with the chill of the night air attempting to agitate the seventh inning of the second game. But the game did not really need it, as Penn State (12-11) and Akron (15-3) provided all of the tension that was needed.

Tied at two heading into the seventh, the outcome was still up in the air. After Lady Lion pitcher Anje Schwab set the Zips down in order in the top half of the inning, the Lady Lion offense took on the task of ending the game.

With two out and no one on base, second baseman Marisa Marucci singled to right field. Designated player Jill Cowen then singled to right, which moved Marucci to second and put two runners on base for clean-up batter Shannon Salsburg.

Salsburg smashed the ball to Akron shortstop Stacy Emig, who couldn't handle the grounder. It bounced off Emig and rolled into shallow left field. Marucci rounded third and scored before the Akron outfielders could get to the ball. Penn State came away with a 3-2 victory.

"We've done that a lot," Lady Lion pitcher Heidi Hanna said of the late rally. "Unfortunately, we wait until the last inning too many times. There's an example in the first game where we waited too long and we weren't able to come through with it. And going ahead and ending on the note where we did come through gives us encouragement that we can do it."

Hanna's example came as Penn State entered the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game, down by a 4-1 score. The Lady Lions scored once, but no more as Akron hung on to win, 4-2.

"I thought we were kind of fortunate to win that one," Akron Coach Linda Kalafatis said. "Penn State certainly had the opportunity there in the last inning, really, all game long. We just got the breaks when we needed them. Obviously, that's what this game is all about -- timing."

Akron may have received the breaks, but the Lady Lions did a good job slowing down the Zips' hitting attack. Coming into the game, nine Akron hitters were hitting above .300. But Lady Lion pitchers Hanna, Gypsy Gooding and Schwab held Akron to only nine hits over the pair of games.

And with the Zips' bats quieter than normal, it was Penn State's offense which made some noise. The Lady Lions outhit the Zips, 6-5, in the first game and 9-4 in the nightcap.

Leading the way for the Penn State offense was third baseman Julie Sopko, who had two hits and an RBI in game one. Cowen and catcher Misty Hackett each had two hits in the nightcap and Hackett added an RBI.

But Lady Lion Coach Sue Rankin still thinks the offensive production needs to be more consistent.

"I think we had a lot of hits early on and scattered them," Rankin said. "We had, like, eight hits going into the last inning. We just need to do a better job of putting the hits together early on so we're not playing stress-ball in the last innings."