Today in Penn State sports: March 18, 2017
A roundup of all the other Penn State sports and athletic happenings from March 18, 2017:
Women’s swimming
McHugh earns 2nd honorable mention All-America honor
INDIANAPOLIS Penn State sophomore Ally McHugh picked up a second honorable mention All-America honor on Saturday after setting a school record in the mile at the 2017 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
McHugh placed 10th in the mile with a time of 15 minutes, 58.92 seconds — nearly seven seconds better than the previous Penn State best set by Casey Francis (16:05.37) in 2015. On Friday, McHugh earned her first honorable mention All-America honor by placing 14th in the 400 individual medley.
Overall, the Nittany Lions finished in 36th place at NCAAs. Stanford won the national title.
Women’s lacrosse
Big Ten opener no problem for PSU
UNIVERSITY PARK Penn State’s Katie O’Donnell and sophomore Madison Carter each scored four goals apiece Saturday to lead the No. 8 Nittany Lions past Rutgers, 18-7, in their Big Ten opener.
The Scarlet Knights took an early 1-0 lead, but the Nittany Lions responded with three straight goals. Rutgers then tied it up at 3 — but it was all Penn State afterward. The Lions then exploded for an 8-1 run.
Penn State (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) will next face No. 6 Princeton on the road at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Women’s gymnastics
2 earn spots on All-Champs team
PISCATAWAY, N.J. Two Penn State gymnasts earned spots on the Big Ten All-Championship Team on Saturday after the Nittany Lions finished sixth in the 10-team conference championship.
Sophomore Sabrina Garcia and junior Briannah Tsang were both named to the team, which consisted of 25 gymnasts, while Nicole Medvitz won Penn State’s Sportsmanship Award.
Michigan won its fourth straight title with 197.300 points, followed by Illinois (196.875), Iowa (196.725), Nebraska (196.475), Ohio State (195.525) and Penn State (195.200).
The Nittany Lions will next compete at the NCAA regionals on April 1.
Softball
Lions 2-0 at tourney
WASHINGTON, D.C. The Penn State softball team started out the George Washington Capital Classic on the right foot Saturday, as it opened with a 13-4 win against Niagara and a 4-2 victory over tournament host George Washington.
Shelby Miller paced the Nittany Lions with four RBIs on the day, and she’s now tied for eighth on the school’s all-time RBI list. Freshman pitcher Madey Smith also made her first career start against George Washington and threw a complete game while fanning eight batters.
Penn State (11-13) continues the tournament Sunday, when it will play both teams once more.
Men’s gymnastics
Nittany Lions drop Wolverines
UNIVERSITY PARK No. 7 Penn State took down No. 9 Michigan on Saturday afternoon at Rec Hall, with the Nittany Lions earning 409.200 points to the Wolverines’ 405.300.
Penn State posted the top team scores on four of the six events, including rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar.
The Nittany Lions will host their final home meet of the season next Saturday with a visit from Iowa.
Baseball
PSU falls twice in doubleheader
NEWARK, Del. Seventeen Penn State batters struck out in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, and Game 2 wasn’t much better, as Delaware swept Penn State by scores of 6-1 and 5-0.
The Blue Hens’ Brandon Walter started Game 1 by striking out 17 in eight innings. He allowed just one walk and a seventh-inning single. In Game 2, PSU managed just three total hits and struck out 11 times.
The Nittany Lions (6-10) will have one more shot at revenge with a game 1 p.m. Sunday against Delaware.
This story was originally published March 18, 2017 at 10:37 PM with the headline "Today in Penn State sports: March 18, 2017."