Monday, April 6, 1998

Lady sluggers drop two of three in Iowa

Coming off an inspired performance against national powerhouse Michigan, the Penn State softball team couldn't keep up the tempo in losing two of three games to No. 20 Iowa this weekend in Iowa City.

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The Lady Lions, who put the heat on the No. 2 Wolverines despite being swept in a home doubleheader on Wednesday, lost 1-0 and 2-1 after opening with a 2-0 victory in their three-game series against the perennially solid Lady Hawkeyes.

Penn State (13-17-1, 3-5 Big Ten), which has now lost four of its last five games, had the chance to win the series after splitting a doubleheader with the Hawkeyes (17-10, 2-4) on Saturday.

But the Lions ran into Iowa ace Debbie Bilboa on the wrong day and will head into Tuesday's doubleheader at Ohio State on a decidedly sour note.

Bilboa, a senior, allowed Penn State a sparse three hits in leading the Hawkeyes to a 1-0 blanking yesterday afternoon. Only Terra Pracht, Tanis Ambelang and Karolyn Peterson could muster singles in the offensively bankrupt affair.

Ambelang pitched an impressive four-hitter for the Lions, but it wasn't enough as Erin Doud's steal of home stood up as the lone run.

On Saturday, it took extra innings for the Hawkeyes to win the second game of the doubleheader.

Tied at one heading into the eighth, Penn State pitcher Jaci Kalp walked in the winning run with the bases loaded to surrender a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat. The nightcap win leveled out the series after the Lions took the opener with a surprising shutout effort.

In the first game, Ambelang pitched a five-hitter while Karen Gulini, Jen McIntyre and Allison Medellin provided the hits in a 2-0 whitewash.

Gulini's two hits were the most any Lion had over the course of the weekend.

After playing Ohio State in Columbus on Tuesday, Penn State heads to Northwestern for another three-game swing next weekend. The Lions then return home to face Bucknell in a doubleheader on April 15.