Lady sluggers flatten Patriots; No. 2 Wolverines on tap today

On the eve of a storm named Michigan, it was the Penn State softball team that provided all the thunder.

The Lady Lions (12-13-1, 2-1 Big Ten), who host the second-ranked Wolverines today at 1 p.m., unleashed 25 hits in two games to take a doubleheader from George Mason (10-23) yesterday at Lady Lion Field.

"We were pretty pleased with the defense coming in, so we wanted to get some offense going today," Lion coach Robin Petrini said. "A lot of people contributed and we got hits throughout the batting order. We looked very good."

If offense was Petrini's problem entering the doubleheader, Terra Pracht quickly became her solution.

"I don't really go for big hits," Pracht said with a shrug. "I just try to get a single and drive some people in. I'm not really considered a power hitter or anything."

And what about her five RBIs?

"Like I said, I just try to drive the ball hard," Pracht said -- before pausing suddenly. "Wait, I had five RBIs?"

Yes.

"Cool."

Just as "cool" was the effort of Pracht's teammate, Allison Medellin, who starred in Penn State's first win.

Medellin, a freshman catcher, went a perfect 2 for 2 and knocked in the first two runs versus the offensively inept Patriots.

Medellin, who caught for winning pitcher Anje Schwab in the 5-0 shutout, returned to post a 1 for 3 offensive showing while playing second base in the nightcap.

"I just went up there and hit the ball hard," Medellin said after the first game. "I thought it was a total team effort. Anje did a great job pitching, (Jenny) Briz came in and pinch hit well, everyone just contributed."

Sentiments weren't as positive on the other side of the softball diamond.

George Mason coach Beth Fulcher chased her players away from the field mere seconds after the doubleheader was over. Standing in front of one of the Patriots' two traveling vans, Fulcher sharply assessed her team's flaccid performance.

"We haven't hit all season," the disgusted coach said. "They played well, they hit well, they pitched well, they fielded well. They're just a good ball team."

As far as good ball teams go, the Lions will have their hands full with Michigan (24-3, 3-0) today. But the game against the Wolverines couldn't come at a better time.

Besides hitting its stride in the past nine games, Penn State's lineup looks potent on an individual level as well. Against George Mason, 18 of the 31 Lions who batted registered at least one hit.

Adding fuel to the fire, Penn State has already equaled last year's Big Ten win total by taking two of three games from Wisconsin this past weekend.

"I'm pumped to play Michigan. We're all pumped," Pracht said. "We've been working real hard and we're definitely going to be playing to win (today)."

Judging by yesterday's effort, that seems like a viable option.