Sovereign had a walk in the game for Penn State, which finished its season at 31-24-1 and 11-8-1 in the Big 10 Conference.
But on Saturday, the Nittany Lions won two regional games, besting Albany, 6-1, and Fordham, 5-2, in 16 innings with Sovereign notching a home run in each game.
Sovereign hit a fourth-inning two-run dinger against Albany that broke a scoreless tie and stood as the game-winning hit. Against Fordham, Sovereign hit another two-run home run that tied the game after Fordham jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The game ended after becoming the second-longest in PSU chronicle.
Before postseason play began on May 18, Sovereign was recognized as a third-team All-Big 10 Conference selection — one of four Nittany Lions to garner all-conference honors. During the regular season, the former Falcons standout hit .268 with 13 extra-base hits and 22 runs batted in. The right fielder also had five outfield assists and, in conference, hit .333.
For the season as a whole, including the playoffs, Sovereign played in all 56 of her team's games, starting in 55, and hit .257 with 11 runs, 26 RBI, a .413 slugging percentage, nine walks and an impeccable 1.000 fielding percentage in 62 chances.
Baillie Kirker (Crescenta Valley High, 2009) sophomore, Arizona softball: Kirker and the Wildcats are set to host a Super Regional against the Oklahoma Sooners, with the best-of-three series beginning on Friday and going through Sunday, if necessary.
All of the games are scheduled to be televised on ESPN, with Friday's 8:30 p.m. PDT contest on ESPNU and Saturday's 2 p.m. game on ESPN.
Arizona was at home for the regionals, as well, sweeping through Harvard, New Mexico State and Texas Tech. In the Wildcats' 10-2 regional-clinching win over Texas Tech on Sunday, Kirker hit her fourth home run of the season and also drew two walks.
Arizona is currently 43-16 and went 11-10 in the Pacific-10 Conference.
