For many students, Spring Break is a time for fun and games. The Penn State softball team spent its break in sunny Florida playing quite a few games, but had just a little fun in compiling a 5-4 record over that time.

"We needed to come down here and win," Penn State head coach Robin Petrini said.

The Nittany Lions (8-11) started their week with a 3-2 loss to Central Michigan in Plant City, Fla., last Monday. They rebounded to claim two victories in a double-header against South Florida in Tampa on Tuesday, and then went 3-3 in the Speedline Invitational over the weekend. The Lions opened the Invitational with two victories, beating Georgia Southern 5-1 and pounding Hofstra 8-0 on Thursday.

In the second game, sophomore ace Marisa Hanson pitched a no-hitter over six innings of play against the Pride before the game was ended due to the eight-run rule.

"Marisa's playing great," Petrini said.

The second day of the tournament saw the Lions drop a 4-2 contest to Western Michigan as they stranded eight baserunners. But Penn State bounced back with a strong performance later that day against Illinois-Chicago, collecting 12 hits en route to a 7-0 win.

Hanson recorded a career-high eight strikeouts and held the Flames to just two hits.

The Lions closed out their pool play with a 4-2 loss to No. 3 Stanford on Saturday.

The Cardinal held a commanding 4-0 lead early thanks to a three-run home run by Jessica Allister in the first inning and a solo shot by Allister in the third.

Penn State rallied to cut the lead to three and then threatened with the bases loaded in the fourth, but senior captain Jennifer Tripken's fly ball fell just short of the right field fence.

The team returned to face Big Ten rival Purdue later that same day in the Championship Bracket, but their 1-0 loss to the Boilermakers ousted them from the tournament.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when Purdue second baseman Andrea Hillsey's single scored the game's only run.

"We had our opponents on the ropes but just couldn't put it together," Petrini said.