AUSTIN, Texas – Penn State softball enters its annual Spring Break trip and continues its 2024 campaign with the Longhorn Invitational on the campus of the University of Texas. The Nittany Lions are set for five games beginning Saturday, March 2, and concluding Monday, March 4, with games against Hofstra, Tarleton, Northwestern State and second-ranked Texas from Red & Charline McCombs Field.
GAME INFORMATION
RV Penn State vs. Hofstra | Saturday, March 2 | 11 a.m. ET | LHN | Live Stats | Tickets
RV Penn State vs. Tarleton | Saturday, March 2 | 1:30 p.m. ET | LHN | Live Stats | Tickets
RV Penn State vs. Northwestern St. | Sunday, March 3 | 1:30 p.m. ET | LHN | Live Stats | Tickets
RV Penn State vs. Tarleton | Sunday, March 3 | 4 p.m. ET | LHN | Live Stats | Tickets
RV Penn State at #2 Texas | Monday, March 4 | 6 p.m. ET | LHN | Live Stats | Tickets
FOLLOW ALONG
All games at the Longhorn Invitational will be played at Red & Charline McCombs Field on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. Tickets for each day of the weekend tournament are available at the links above. All games at the Longhorn Invitational will be broadcast live to a national television audience via the Longhorn Network. Access to the Longhorn Network is associated with the subscriber's television package, and can also be accessed via the ESPN app on all connected devices.
QUICK HITS
The Blue & White are off to their best start through 12 games since 1982, booking an 11-1 start to the season. PSU already boasts a pair of victories over Power 5 opponents, as well as a nationally ranked victory over then-No. 16 Arkansas on opening weekend in Boca Raton, Florida. PSU is fresh off its best hitting performance since at least 2015, scoring 12 runs on an astonishing 17 hits against the Penn Quakers, the first instance of 15-or-more hits in a single game at PSU since managing 15 against Saint Francis on April 3, 2019. In the circle, reigning Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week Bridget Nemeth leads the way with a 0.63 ERA, the best mark in the league. Junior Mady Volpe is coming off one of her best individual collegiate outings against Morgan State on February 24, logging a one-hit shutout with a career-high 12 strikeouts against the Bears.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Fresh off a 2023 NCAA Regional Appearance as the CAA champion, the Hofstra Pride take the field in Austin managing a 2-5 overall record with wins over UIC and Bucknell. The Pride are led on the field by Chelsea Manto's .391 batting average and Olivia Malinowski's five RBI. In the circle, Julia Apsel leads the way and has yet to surrender an earned run in the 2024 season. Under the direction of Mark Cumpian, the Tarleton Texans head to the state capital with a 10-7 overall record fresh off a doubleheader sweep of Prairie View A&M. Kelci Hill leads the squad with a .455 average and 13 RBI, while Hannah Blincoe paces the pitching staff with a 3.78 ERA in the circle.
The Northwestern State Demons and first-year head coach Lacy Prejean arrive in the Lone Star State with a 9-10 overall record. NSU is paced on the field by Tristin Court's .382 average, two home runs and 12 RBI, as well as Maggie Darr's 2.56 ERA through 41.0 innings pitched. Entering the weekend as the unanimous second-ranked team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns play host to the weekend tournament boasting a 13-1 ledger under head coach Mike White. Behind the dish, Reese Atwood has placed herself at the center of the national conversation with a .585 batting average, nine home runs and 31 RBI. In the circle, Citaly Gutierrez leads the way with a 0.71 ERA.
STORY OF THE SERIES
The Nittany Lions face off with Hofstra for the 10th time in program history on Saturday, with the Pride boasting a 6-3 lead in the all-time series. Hofstra and PSU last faced off in a three-game series on March 19 and 20 in University Park, with the Nittany Lions picking up a 10-2 run-rule win in the series finale. PSU and Texas prepare for their fifth all-time meeting since 2007, with the Longhorns maintaining a 3-1 overall record. Penn State's only victory over Texas came on March 16, 2007, logging a 6-5 win in eight innings in Fullerton, California. The only prior meeting in Austin came on February 15, 2008, with Texas logging a 1-0 win in eight innings. Penn State gets set for its first all-time meeting against both Tarleton and Northwestern State during the Longhorn Invitational.
LADIES OF LIBERTY
Penn State is fresh off an impressive 4-1 weekend of performances on the road in Lynchburg, Virginia, at the Liberty Softball Classic. The Nittany Lions picked up a quartet of combined wins against Saint Francis, Morgan State and Penn, with a single loss against host-Liberty. The Blue & White booked the best start in program history with their eighth-consecutive season-opening win against Saint Francis on Friday afternoon. Pitching stole the show in the Saturday doubleheader against Morgan State, with Bridget Nemeth and Mady Volpe combining for 25 total strikeouts across both contests. Nemeth threw a career-high 13 strikeouts, while Volpe tossed a one-hit shutout in the nightcap with a career-high-shattering 12 K's. In the 12-5 weekend finale against Penn, PSU claimed the in-state rivalry with a 17-hit tally. Penn State's offense also finished with double-digit hits in back-to-back games for the first time since booking 11 hits in consecutive contests against Boston University and Delaware on February 26 and March 4, 2023.
HAYLIE'S HOUSE
Junior outfielder and Pittsburgh transfer Haylie Brunson has been an offensive revelation for the Nittany Lions, hitting .385 while booking a pair of home runs and a team-high 14 RBI. Brunson leads the Big Ten Conference in doubles with six, as well as doubles per game with 0.50. She ranks 17th in Division I in total doubles while ranking 22nd in the nation in doubles per contest. The Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, native booked one of the most impressive individual performances in recent memory at PSU. led the way with a historic individual performance, tying for the third-most hits in a single game at PSU with a 4-for-5 showing that included six RBI, also tied for the third-most in a game in school history.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State softball. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion softball team on Facebook at /pennstatesoftball as well as Instagram and X @PennStateSB.
