Softball Clips Nittany Lions in Nine, 4-3

Sunday, March 9

Clearwater, Fla.

9:00 AM

NC State

13-12

Penn State

9-6

NC State

Penn State

3/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. NC State downed Penn State, 4-3, in a nine-inning nail biter at the USF Under Armour Invitational on Sunday, March 9. Lindsay Campana (6-10) picked up the win in relief, striking out seven and allowing only one hit in 4.2 innings of work. Ashley Esparza (4-4) took the loss.

The win moves State to 13-12 on the year, while the Nittany Lions fall to 9-6.

The game ran scoreless until an Alyssa Ishibashi double to left-center in the top of the fifth put the Pack up 1-0. Allison Presnell reached on an error at second, and Ishibashi knocked her in shortly thereafter by smoking a Jackie Hill pitch into the outfield green.

PSU took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Starting hurler Mendy McKenzie issued a leadoff walk to Ashley Griffth, and Hill moved her to second with a sac-bunt. Esparza followed with an infield single, putting runners on the corners with one out. Danielle Kinley then pushed an RBI single through the right side, and Hollee Haines followed with a base hit into the gap in left-center, bringing in another run.

State then switched McKenzie in favor of Campana, who finished Penn State off without giving up any more runs in the inning. McKenzie tossed 4.1 innings total, allowing six hits and two earned runs.

The Pack tied things immediately in the top of the sixth. Lisa Nentwig reached first when Sam Hovanec dropped a routine fly in right, and Krystal Hawkins, running for Nentwig, moved to second on a perfect Blair Harkey sac-bunt in front of the plate. At that point, PSU handed the ball to Esparza.

Shanna Smith greeted Esparza with a liner back up the middle, putting runners on first and second with one down. Smith then broke to steal second, reaching safely before Haines’ throw from behind the plate bounced into the outfield, allowing Hawkins to score.

Esparza started the bottom of the eighth on second, and Campana K’d Kinley and Haines to get things going. Desi Giordano beat out an infield single, but Hovanec grounded out to third.

The Wolfpack picked up two runs in the top of the ninth to seal the deal. Harkey started on second and moved to third when Smith reached on a beauty of a bunt. Harkey later scored on an Esparza wild pitch, and Lacey Holm dealt the Nittany Lions a final blow with an RBI base hit into right.

Penn State added one run in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough.

State will wrap up its stay at the USF Under Armour Invitational with an 11:30 a.m. contest against Jacksonville.