Lady slugger throws no-hitter

The home opener for the Penn State softball team started out rather close, then ended perfectly.

With the wins, the Lady Lions move to 17-8. St. Francis dropped to 6-6.

"I would like to see a few more people hitting a little bit better but we're in pretty good shape going into the Big Ten," coach Robin Petrini said of her club's effort yesterday.

The Lady Lions got on the board first in game one when Shannon Salsburg reached on an error in the bottom of the second and scored on an infield single by Marisa Marucci. Penn State made it 2-0 in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Jen McIntyre that scored Jen Accordino.

St. Francis tied the game in the bottom of the sixth off Lady Lion reliever Sara Henick. A wild pitch scored the first Red Flash run, then an RBI double by Patricia Galayda knotted the game. Salsburg came back leading off the bottom of the inning and drilled a pitch up in the strike zone for a game-winning home run.

"That was huge," Petrini said of Salsburg's home run. "I don't know if I've ever seen any ball hit that far. She crushed it."

Starter Anje Schwab got both the win and a save. Schwab pitched the first five innings and cleaned up in the seventh.

The second game had Penn State jump out on offense early and often. Jodie Ricciardi singled off the third base bag, and scored on an RBI single by McIntyre. McIntyre scored on Salsburg's double off the base of the center field wall.

St. Francis had to throw in the towel in the fifth when Shannon Angel hit a two-run triple to right-center and then scored on an errant throw to third. Collegiate softball has an eight-run rule leading to the Penn State victory after only five innings.

Kalp was in total control against the Red Flash striking out seven. She said her rising fastball is her best pitch and another is being added to her repertoire.

"I'm starting to get my drop pitch, so I'm excited about that," Kalp said. "I know the defense is behind me and they'll make the plays. If they hit the ball, they'll field it."

Petrini said she's been impressed with how Kalp has stepped in as a freshman. She said St. Francis didn't know what hit them in the second game.

"Jaci just blew the ball by them. I don't think they've seen anybody that throws that hard," Petrini said. "Jaci pitched a no hitter and you can't ask for anything else than that."