Penn State Heads to Atlanta for I-75 ChallengePenn State Heads to Atlanta for I-75 Challenge
Eric Espada/Penn State Athletics

Penn State Heads to Atlanta for I-75 Challenge

Opens in a new window Weekend 3 Game Notes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State softball team, under second-year head coach Clarisa Crowell, heads to the Atlanta, Ga. area for the I-75 Challenge, Feb. 25-27. The Nittany Lions will play doubleheaders at Georgia Tech (Friday) and Kennesaw State (Saturday) before finishing the trip with a single game at Georgia State on Sunday.
 
GAME INFORMATION

Note: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) programming is available online via the ESPN app or WatchESPN.com. Viewers must subscribe to a cable/satellite/digital provider that carries the ACC Network to view ACCNX programming.
 
SERIES HISTORY

  • Having only faced Big Ten opponents in 2021, the Nittany Lions continue non-conference tournament play at the start of the new campaign.
  • The Nittany Lions are returning to the I-75 Challenge having last participated during the 2020 season prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. Penn State went 3-2 that weekend with a sweet (2-0) over Georgia State, a split decision (1-1) with Georgia Tech, including a 10-inning win in game two, and a loss against Kennesaw State in the finale.
  • Penn State has a winning record all-time against all three teams: Georgia Tech, 5-3; Kennesaw State, 2-1; Georgia State, 4-0.

SCOUTING THE FIELD

  • Georgia Tech is 10-2 through the first two and a half weeks of 2022 and has won five of its last six games. Graduate student Tricia Awald leads the Yellow Jackets with a .559 batting average with 19 hits and 10 RBI, plus a .941 slugging percentage. In the circle, junior Blake Neleman holds a 1.01 ERA in seven starts for a 6-1 record with a shutout and 61 strikeouts.
  • Kennesaw State has struggled through the first two weekends, with a 2-6 record including a four-game losing streak. Junior Cheyanne Sales paces the Owls with a .348 batting average with eight hits and four RBI. The pitching staff has a 5.33 ERA as junior Melanie Bennett has seen the most time with 23.1 innings pitched.
  • Georgia State is also off to a slow start with a 2-6 record. Junior Bailee Richardson leads the Panthers offensively with a .385 batting average with 10 hits and nine RBI. In the circle, three Panther pitchers have seen nearly split time, with redshirt junior Emily Buck having the most starts (4) and innings (17.2) with a 4.36 ERA. 

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State carried its winning ways into the second weekend of play in Florida, going 3-1 in the Panther Invitational at FIU in Miami. The Nittany Lions shut out FIU twice and beat Cleveland State in the opener while narrowly falling to Buffalo on Saturday.
  • On the offensive end, the bats were hot for the Nittany Lions with five players batting above .350 on the weekend and three of the four games totaling double-digit hits. Senior Ally Kurland led all players with a .563 batting average with nine hits, including five multi-base hits, and six RBI with a 1.125 slugging percentage. Junior Michelle Leone (.538) and sophomore Lauren Marcotte (.500) also batted well consistently while juniors Cassie Lindmark (.429) and Lexie Black (.364) added their first career home runs.
  • In the circle, senior pitcher Bailey Parshall made history with a perfect game against FIU on Friday (2/18), the first for a Nittany Lion since 2005 and only the fifth all-time. Parshall retired all 21 batters faced with no hits, no base runners, and 11 strikeouts. She also had another complete-game shutout against the hosts on Sunday. 

PERFECTION

  • Senior pitcher Bailey Parshall made Penn State history Friday night at FIU with the first perfect game since 2005.
  • It marked only the fifth perfect game all-time, and only the second seven-inning perfect game in program history. It was also the first no-hitter by a Nittany Lion since 2008.

LEAN ON LEONE

  • Junior Michelle Leone has been consistent at the plate for the Nittany Lions through the first two weekends, pacing the offense with a .458 batting average.
  • The Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., native is tied for the team lead with 11 hits and has added five RBI.
  • She is on a four-game hitting streak and has three multi-hit and two multi-RBI games this season. 

ON DECK
Penn State hits the road for a stretch of nine games in nine days during spring break, March 4-12. The Nittany Lions will first play in the Carolina Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C., March 4-6, facing Oregon, host UNC, UConn and UNC Greensboro.