After being cooped up in the Multi-Sport Facility and Holuba Hall for the past few weeks, the Penn State softball team was finally able to get its uniforms dirty and dig into the clay and fresh-cut grass.

Despite competing against southern teams that have already had a weekend of play under their belts, the Lions were able to shake off the off-season rust and come away from the two-day Carolina Classic with a 3-1 record against some of the country's top competition.

Penn State dropped its first contest of the weekend but bounced back with three wins over the next day and a half to depart Chapel Hill, N.C., with a winning record.

The Lions received possibly the most difficult opening draw of the event against No. 2 Tennessee. The Volunteers, last year's national runners-up, were led by preseason All-America pitcher Monica Abbot. The senior, who currently ranks fourth on the all-time NCAA strikeout list, fanned all six Lions that she faced during her two innings of work.

The Tennessee lineup then staked Abbot to a seven-run first inning lead and the Volunteers never looked back.

"Things just seemed to be playing a little slow, they weren't up to game speed," Penn State head coach Robin Petrini said. "We made some errors we normally shouldn't make, but we were solid the rest of the way."

Only a fifth-inning Ashley Esparza home run prevented Penn State from being shut out as Tennessee cruised to a 9-1 mercy-rule victory.

With only half an hour to mull over their disheartening loss, the Lions were forced to quickly regroup for their second game of the day, this one against No. 22 N.C. State.

After falling behind 3-1 in the fifth, Petrini replaced starting pitcher Jenn Reynolds with freshman Jackie Hill. Making her first collegiate appearance, Hill was able to hold N.C. State in check. Jen Acunto's two-RBI single in the sixth put the Lions ahead for good. Hill retired the side in the top of the seventh to preserve Penn State's first victory of the season, 5-3 over the Wolfpack.

"The pitching staff did a good job," Petrini said. "And we got a couple of combined victories, which was nice to see."

The Lions began yesterday with their sights set on a sweep of a pair of host-state foes, East Carolina and North Carolina.

Hill got the start and struggled in the circle. She allowed two runs over the opening two and two-third innings and was relieved by Esparza.

The sophomore pitcher deflated the Pirate bats just as her own whooping stick began to heat up.

In the bottom of the fifth with the score tied at 2, Esparza came to bat with one on and one out. She pounded the ECU offering over the right field fence for her second dinger of the weekend, which also proved to be the difference. Esparza's pitching held the Pirates scoreless the rest of the way and the Lions hung on for the 4-2 win.

"It feels good [to start the season this well]," Esparza said. "Usually I start slow, but it was nice to pick up where I left off last season."

Penn State carried its offensive momentum into the afternoon game as its bats exploded for five runs in the top of the first.

The comfort of the large lead soon faded as the Tar Heels erupted for five runs off of Esparza in the second to pull back into a tie.

But the Lions immediately responded, thanks to Acunto's bat. She drove a third-inning, two-out pitch down the left field line for a two-run homer that provided Penn State with all the scoring it needed.

Reynolds relieved Esparza during the tumultuous second frame and twirled five and two-third innings of six-hit ball while allowing only one earned run to close out the contest. The Lion scoring surge continued as Penn State cruised to an 11-7 win.

The veterans provided their normal leadership for the Lions this weekend. Esparza, Acunto and sophomore Danielle Kinley combined to go 21-for-35 with 14 RBI and three round-trippers. The offensive outburst combined with the steady pitching is a cause of optimism for the entire team.

"Beating the ranked teams was really good for our confidence," Esparza said. "This could be a stepping stone for our team and can open a lot of doors for us."