UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – After spending much of their Saturday weathering rain delays and waiting out afternoon showers, the UMass Lowell softball team (11-7) fell to the hosting Nittany Lions, 12-2, on day two of the Penn State Invitational.
 
Games against Penn State and Rider were initially scheduled to take place at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. With rainy conditions in the area resulting in stoppages, the contest with the Nittany Lions was delayed until a 6 p.m. start, while the duel with Rider canceled.
 
Senior Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) put the River Hawks on the board in the second frame by smacking a single up the middle, scoring two baserunners and giving UMass Lowell the 2-0 advantage.
 
Penn State wasted little time responding, however, hitting a three-run homer in the home half to go out front. The Nittany Lions would continue to perform on offense as the game progressed. A five-run fourth inning for the home squad extended the margin to 12-2, a deficit the River Hawks could not battle back from, ending the game in five innings.
 
UMass Lowell will aim to close out the weekend on a high note with games against Cornell and Rider scheduled for 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 20.