CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2008 SOFTBALL MEDIA GUIDE!

2008 NEWS
 

Juniata fends off softball in home finale
4.24.08
The Penn State Altoona softball team dropped its final two regular season home games of the 2008 season to non-conference foe Juniata College Thursday at the Ivyside Field.  The Eagles won game one 5-1 and used a seventh inning rally in the nightcap to claim an 8-7 victory.  Altoona fell to 4-26 overall while Juniata improved to 19-15 on the year.  In game one, Eagle pitcher Alyssa Erb hurled a complete game, scattering four hits, allowing one run, and striking out eight Lion batters.  Offensively, Juniata banged out eight hits and took advantage of four Altoona errors to score its five runs.  After scoring one run in the third, Juniata broke the contest open with a four-run sixth inning that included five hits.  The Eagles left the based loaded in that frame and stranded eight runners in the game.  Altoona's lone run came in the bottom of the seventh after Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) walked and eventually scored on an Aisha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) fielders choice.  READ MORE

Walters, Mounties take two from softball
4.23.08
Mount Aloysius pitcher Jess Walters threw a combined 16 innings and picked up two victories Wednesday, leading the visiting Mounties to a doubleheader sweep of Penn State Altoona at the Ivyside Field.  Mount held off the Lions 4-2 in the opener, then rallied late and eventually won game two 3-1 in nine innings.  Walters scattered seven hits and allowed only two earned runs en route to the opening game victory.  Offensively, Aloysius banged out 10 hits and scored three runs in the fifth off Lion reliever Chelsey Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg) to stake a 4-0 lead.  Stacey Hammond had the key hit in the frame, delivering a two-RBI single, and teammate April Trexel also stroked a run-scoring single.  Altoona responded with two runs on four hits in the sixth including an Aisha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) two-run, two-out base hit that scored Kara Myers (Millheim, PA/Penns Valley) and Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown).  But Altoona would strand seven runners on base, leaving the sacks packed in the third inning.  READ MORE

Frostburg goes extras to beat Lions
4.21.08
Frostburg State managed just one hit and no runs through the first nine innings, but scored one in 10th and put an 8-spot on the board in the 11th to get past Penn State Altoona 9-3 Monday afternoon at the Ivyside Field.  The game was a make-up from April 1 when the Bobcats and Lions played 1 1/2 scoreless innings before rain postponed the nightcap.  The action began with the Lions' fifth batter, Megan Turiano, in the bottom of the second.  Frostburg pitcher Katelyn Coffey, who worked one scoreless frame back on April 1, went all 11 innings to earn the win, scattering seven hits and allowing one earned run while fanning 13 batters.  Altoona pitcher Callie Lyle (Brockway, PA/Brockway) pitched the first two innings of the game back on April 1, but Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) started out today and went eight solid innings, surrendering one unearned run and only one hit.  Cummins struck out a season-high 14 Bobcat hitters.  After seven innings of regulation are completed, every inning thereafter is played by International Tiebreaker Rules, meaning a runner is placed on second base to begin the frame.  READ MORE

AMCC frontrunner Storm take two from softball
4.19.08
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference leader Lake Erie used strong pitching and timely hitting to sweep a doubleheader from Penn State Altoona Saturday at the Ivyside Field.  The Storm won a tight 3-0 contest in the opener before using 14 hits to take the nightcap 5-1.  Altoona fell to 4-21 overall and 1-10 in the AMCC while Lake Erie improved to 18-14 and 15-3 in the league.  In game one, Storm pitcher Erin McCullough fired a complete game four-hitter, striking out seven and walking none.  Her counterpart, Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley), was also impressive, hurling all seven innings while allowing four hits, three runs, and fanning eight.  The difference came in the bottom of the second when Lake Erie second baseman Britt'nie Bartow roped a two out, three-RBI single.  The bases were loaded via two singles and a hits batsman when Bartow stepped up.  READ MORE

Bradford hits its way to sweep of softball
4.12.08
Pitt-Bradford scored 19 runs and cracked 26 hits in a doubleheader sweep of visiting Penn State Altoona Saturday afternoon.  The Lady Panthers won the opener 11-3 in five innings before rallying to win the second contest 8-7 on a walk-off sacrifice fly.  Altoona fell to 3-18 overall and 0-7 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference while UPB improved to 7-15 and 6-6 in the league.  In game one, Altoona took the early lead at 2-0 thanks to four hits including RBI singles from Megan Turiano (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) and Melissa Claver (State College, PA/State College).  But the hosts answered back, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first and knocking Lion starting pitcher Lindsey Laudermilch (Hershey, PA/Hershey) from the game after facing just four batters.  Bradford went on to get three more runs in the second and fifth innings to set the final.  Lion hurlers Chelsea Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg) and Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) combined to pitch three innings before Laudermilch re-entered in the fifth.  READ MORE

Behrend downs softball in pair of games
4.5.08
The Penn State Altoona softball team suffered a pair of defeats at the hands of Penn State Behrend Saturday afternoon at the Ivyside Field.  The Erie Lions cruised to a 10-0, five-inning win in the opener before rallying for an 8-4 victory in game two.  Altoona fell to 3-16 overall and 0-5 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference while Behrend improved to 13-3 and 2-0 in the league.  Behrend pitchers Julie Koman and Maddie Weiser combined to throw a one-hitter with no walks and five strikeouts in the opener.  The Erie offense pounded out 15 hits, scoring four runs apiece in the first and fourth innings.  Altoona starting hurler Chelsea Rhodes took the loss, giving eight runs on 10 hits through 3 and 2/3 innings of work.  Freshman Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) had the lone Lion hit of the game.  READ MORE

Mounties earn non-conference sweep of Lion softball team
4.3.08
Mount Aloysius edged visiting Penn State Altoona 4-1 in the opener, then ran away with a 13-1 victory in five innings en route to the doubleheader sweep Thursday afternoon.  The Lions fell to 3-14 overall.  The two squads will meet again in Altoona on April 23 for a pair of games that will count toward both schools' Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference records.  Hollidaysburg alumnus Jess Walters pitched a complete game to earn the win and also belted an two-RBI single in the first inning.  Teammate Andie O'Neal hit a two-run home run in the second inning as Mount Aloysius touched up Lion starter Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) for four runs on five hits.  Cummins did strike out nine Mountie batters.  Both teams had five hits apiece in the game.  Altoona's lone run came in the top of the seventh when Kate Markstein (Crown Point, IN/Crown Point) doubled and eventually scored on an error.  Markstein and Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) each had two hits in the losing cause.  READ MORE

Softball loses opener in extras, game two postponed
4.1.08
Penn State Altoona dropped a heartbreaking 6-3 decision to Frostburg State in eight innings Tuesday afternoon at the Ivyside Field.  The squads made it through 1 and 1/2 innings of game two before rain wiped out the second contest, which has yet to be rescheduled.  The Lions fell to 3-12 overall and 0-3 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.  Frostburg led 2-0 until the Lions picked up three runs in the bottom of the fifth.  With the bases loaded, freshman Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) hit a grounder to the second baseman.  The throw home was errant and two runs scored.  Two batters later, a wild pitch allowed sophomore Kara Myers (Millheim, PA/Penns Valley) to score to give Altoona a 3-2 lead.  READ MORE

Big innings propel Greensburg to softball sweep
3.26.08
Pitt-Greensburg used two huge innings Wednesday afternoon to earn a pair of Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference wins over visiting Penn State Altoona.  The Lady Bobcats edged the Lions 5-3 in the opener, then took the nightcap 11-0 in five innings.  UPG improved to 2-2 overall and in the league while the Lions dropped to 3-11 and 0-2 in AMCC action.  After a scoreless first and second inning, Greensburg finally got to Altoona starting pitcher Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) in game one, touching up the sophomore for five runs on four hits including a three-run home run by Kelly Welsh.  The Lions responded in the top of the fourth when Kate Markstein (Crown Point, IN/Crown Point) tripled and scored on a wild pitch.  Four batter later, Melissa Claver (State College, PA/State College) roped an RBI double that scored Kara Myers (Millheim, PA/Penns Valley) and brought Altoona to within 4-2.  READ MORE

Softball drops twin bill at Juniata
3.25.08
Juniata College combined for 29 hits over two games en route to a doubleheader sweep of visiting Penn State Altoona Tuesday afternoon.  The Lady Eagles blanked the Lions 9-0 in the opener, then got five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to notch an 11-4 game two victory.  Juniata upped its record to 8-7 overall while Altoona fell to 3-9 on the season.  In game one, the hosts jumped on Lion starter Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) in the first inning, banging out seven hits and scoring eight runs to stake an early 8-0 lead.  Altoona managed just one base hit off of Juniata starter Alyssa Erb, who struck out five and walked only one.  Freshman third baseman Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) had the lone single for the Lions.  Cummins allowed just three hits and one run in her final three innings of work before the game was called after the fifth inning.  READ MORE

Softball picked eighth in AMCC Preseason Coaches Poll
2.27.08
The Penn State Altoona softball team, under the direction of first year head coach Nikki Runzo, was picked to finish eighth in the 2008 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Wednesday.  The Lions, which finished last season 6-24 and 4-14 in the league, have no upperclassmen on their 17-player roster and feature 11 freshmen.  Sophomore pitcher Emily Cummins and catcher Kara Myers were named "players to watch" for Penn State Altoona.  Cummins pitched in 22 games a year ago and led the team with 109 innings pitched and a 4.87 ERA.  Myers played and started all 30 games, hitting .256 with 21 base knocks.  Defending champion Pitt-Bradford has gotten the coaches' nod to win their fifth AMCC championship in six years.  The 2006 title-holders, Penn State Behrend, were expected to challenge in the #2 spot, while last season's regular season champion and ECAC Southern Division titlist La Roche College was ranked third.  Last season's AMCC Player of the Year and ECAC Division III Southern Player of the Year Nikki Kaschauer (South Park, PA/South Park) gets the nod as Preseason Player of the Year for 2008.  The Behrend team captain ranked third in the AMCC with a .438 batting average, and was first in hits (63) and RBI (39).  Teammate Julie Koman (McKees Rocks, PA/Montour HS) was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.  The junior righthander, who won both Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors as a freshman, went 19-6 in 2007 with a league-best 1.56 ERA.  She completed 20 games, striking out 175 in 170 innings.  Koman was nationally ranked in ERA, strikeouts and wins.  She also hit.375 with a pair of home runs.  Penn State Altoona opens its 2008 season in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 10.

Organizational meeting scheduled for September 5
8.29.07
Penn State Altoona women's softball coach Brenda Palmer will hold an organizational meeting on Wednesday, September 5, for any students interested in playing varsity softball this spring.  The meeting will be held at the Laurel Pavilion located near the Adler Athletic Complex.  The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM.  Any questions can be directed to Coach Palmer at 814-207-1074.