Nothing like some good old-fashioned offense to break out of a slump.

After a three-game losing skid last weekend, the Penn State softball team returned to their winning ways yesterday, sweeping a doubleheader against Syracuse at Nittany Lion Field. The Nittany Lions (22-20) looked like an offensive juggernaut, exploding for 20 hits in 6-1 and 5-3 victories over the Orangewomen (17-13).

The Lions put on a clinic in the first inning of the opening game, pounding out seven hits for five runs and chasing Syracuse starter Taylor Petersen after she recorded just two outs.

"They happened to be key hits that we were able to score runs on, so it was great," Lions' head coach Robin Petrini said of the early fireworks. "Putting up five runs in the first inning is always nice."

The Lions batted around in the first and stole four bases in the inning. Jackie Dabrowski, Jennifer Tripken, and Barbie Pierce each had RBI singles up the middle, while Megan Humphrey added a RBI double and Erica Greenberg knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.

"It just seemed like we were right on the pitcher and just swinging right through the ball," senior center fielder Gina Bianchini said. "Everyone was focused and we were just hitting the ball. When you see people get a hit it just snowballs, and everyone thinks they can hit."

Petrini shuffled her lineup in the first game, moving first baseman Erin Norton up to third in the batting order and dropping Tripken to fifth. Tripken was 1-for-3 with a RBI and a walk, while Norton was 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Norton said the lineup switch did not change her approach at the plate.

"I think you go out there pretty much with the same mentality," Norton said. "We just need to produce as much offense as we can and whether you bat third, fourth or fifth or ninth, it doesn't really matter."

Starting pitcher Marisa Hanson looked comfortable on the mound after the Lions gave her an early lead. The righthander tallied three strikeouts and surrendered just four hits over seven innings, bringing her record to 11-9.

"I thought Marisa did a good job," Petrini said. "When Marisa's on, she always gives us a chance, and that's important."

The Lions added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, as Norton's single to left field scored Bianchini to make the score 6-0.

Syracuse's lone run of the first game came on a RBI double to the outfield wall by leftfielder Tanya Rose in the top of the seventh. In the second game, the Lions again jumped out to an early lead thanks to a sacrifice fly in the first by Norton that scored Bianchini. But the Orangewomen bounced back, tying the game in the top of the second on a RBI single by Kristen Collins. They threatened again as Christina Holowich sent a sharp ball up the middle with Jennifer Read on third, but Bianchini was able to gun down Read at home, thanks to a tag applied by catcher Erica Greenberg.

Penn State added four more runs and held a 5-1 lead entering the top of the fourth, but a double by Read with two runners on made the score 5-3. Petrini pulled freshman starter Tina Skelly in favor of sophomore reliever Shana Riggleman. Riggleman (3-3) was strong in relief, surrendering just two hits over three and two-thirds innings to earn the win.

"(Skelly) pitched a really good game, but coach thought their team had a chance to get around on her," Tripken said. "You want to mix things up and Shana's a nice combination to come in and throw some junk ball."