Lady sluggers readying for tough conference play


Friday, March 27, 1998	Lady sluggers readying for tough conference play By DONNIE COLLINS Collegian Sports Writer The preseason schedule for the Penn State softball team was tough enough. The Lady Lions competed in tournaments in Texas, Florida and South Carolina. They've faced the likes of Florida State and Louisiana State, not to mention several other strong teams.
`Penn State Softball Home Page`	Now, coach Robin Petrini hopes the quality of the opponents prepared her team for one thing -- the demanding Big Ten schedule. "We needed tougher competition to prepare us for the Big Ten," Petrini said. "The Big Ten is the second-toughest competition in the country."
Pitcher Anje Schwab. lets the ball fly. The team starts Big Ten action this weekend with a home match against the Wisconsin Badgers. (Collegian Photo/David S. Spence - click for full size image)	The Lions (8-12-1) open Big Ten play with a doubleheader against Wisconsin at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Lady Lion Field. The Lions will try to build off last weekend's performance at the Winthrop Tournament in Rock Hill, S.C. In the tournament, the Lions picked up victories over UNC-Greensboro, St. Joseph's and Winthrop. Their only loss came against Kent State. The Lions are not lacking senior leadership. Nor are they missing the youth of freshmen. The Lions have seven freshmen on their roster, and senior tri-captain Jen McIntyre said they appear to be talented. "The freshmen have done very, very well," McIntyre said. "They've been able to step right in and play to their potential." Although Petrini looks for her team to improve on every aspect of its game as the Big Ten schedule progresses, she is especially concerned about her team's lack of consistency.
Lady Lion Shannon Angel prepares to complete a double play in a game last season. Penn State faces Wisconsin this weekend to open conference play. (Collegian Photo/Tracy Senycz - click for full size image)	"We are still in the process of coming together," the second-year coach said. "We've had some inconsistencies. Some days, we have great pitching. Some days, it's great hitting or defense. It kind of rotates." The Lions, according to their coach, have improved each time they've taken the field. Petrini said freshmen Tanis Ambelang and Allison Medellin have been two of the team's strongest hitters, along with junior outfielder Jodie Ricciardi. Petrini is satisfied with the overall performance of her pitching staff. Sophomore Jaci Kalp and senior Anje Schwab have seen extensive action on the mound for the Lions. The Badgers (8-14) will ride the hot bat of Julie Borchard into Happy Valley. The junior shortstop is hitting .564 in 20 games this season for Wisconsin. Junior Becca Gilgen is also swinging a strong bat, with a .338 average and a team-leading 16 RBIs. When the Lions and Badgers met last season, they engaged in a hard-fought series. The Badgers took all three games from the Lions in Madison, Wisc., but all three were decided by one run -- including a 16-inning affair, won 8-7 by the Badgers. Petrini said if her team does what it needs to do this weekend, the Lions will be in good shape. "I expect us to go out and take care of our game (against Wisconsin)," Petrini said. "If we do that, then the scores will take care of themselves." After a travel-filled preseason, the Lions are looking forward to playing, and improving, in front of family and fans. "We want to try to do the little things needed to win," senior tri-captain Shannon Salsburg said. "We want to just keep meshing (as a team) and see where it takes us."