PITTSBURGH -- The Penn State softball team was in control for much of the opening game of yesterday's doubleheader against the University of Pittsburgh. The Nittany Lions took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and held on until the bottom of the seventh, when the Panthers plated two runs to force extra innings.

Just as the game's momentum was switching dugouts, Penn State advanced runners to second and third, and slap-hitting right fielder Meghan Wolfer stepped up with one out in the top of the eighth.

Wolfer, who is more apt to use her speed to reach on a bunt than trot the bases after a homerun, lofted a ball to the outfield that was long enough to score third baseman Shana Madura on a sacrifice fly. The Lions held their one-run lead, and Wolfer's sacrifice proved to be the game-winner.

Afterward, Wolfer said she was more concerned with keeping the inning going for her RBI-producing teammates than driving home a run.

"I just knew I had to get the ball in play and give us some hope to score some runs," Wolfer said. "[I didn't expect a sac fly], I'm usually more of a poke-it-through-on-the-ground kind of hitter, but whatever works I guess."

The obvious hero of the first game, Wolfer used her leather to become a quasi-hero in the second game as well.

It's difficult to find a single star or lone play that was a major key in a 6-0 win, but Wolfer provided one of the more memorable moments in the nightcap as well.

With the Lions protecting a 3-0 lead with one out and a runner on second in the bottom of the third, Pitt shortstop Sheena Hellon drove a ball to right field. It dropped in for a single, but the Panther runner on second was attempting to score on the hit. Wolfer never hesitated and rifled a throw toward home. The ball reached Penn State catcher Hollee Haines' glove two steps before the Pitt runner. Haines applied a sweep tag and the Lion shutout remained intact.

After the game, Wolfer said her throw wasn't a big deal, she was doing her job.

"It was pretty much, 'ball's on the ground, girl's going home, you have got to throw it in and hope to get her out,' and it worked I guess," Wolfer said.

But, her assist quelled any chance of a Panther rally. Instead of a runner on second with one out in a two-run ballgame, Pitt faced a three-run deficit with two outs and a runner on second.

The Panthers never recovered from the out at the plate as Penn State cruised to a 6-0 victory. A key part of both wins, Penn State head coach Robin Petrini said Wolfer produced when the Lions needed her.

"Meghan Wolfer came up big today," Petrini said. "She's capable of a lot of things and she showed that. She had a really nice day today."