WASHINGTON, D.C. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team opened conference play with a dominant doubleheader sweep of United East foe Gallaudet on Friday afternoon, March 25. The Lions allowed just one hit in a 14-0 game-one victory before rolling to a 22-1 win in the nightcap. 

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg (6-5, 1-0 United East) opened conference play in convincing fashion, blanking the hometown Bison (0-9, 0-1 United East) 14-0 in the first game of a United East doubleheader on Friday afternoon.

Pitchers Carissa Yeager and Mary-Kate Penczkowski combined to allow just one hit in five innings, while the offense racked up 16 total hits, including two doubles and a triple. Madelyn Lehigh, Steph Reider, Madelyn Krantz, and Rylee Tineri all had multi-hit outings.

The Lions put up a four spot in the top of the first and Lehigh's RBI triple highlighted the scoring in the second. Krantz drove in another with a double in the third and Reider opened the scoring in the fifth with a double to right field. Samantha Weaver's sacrifice fly later in the frame made it 13-0 and Madeline English capped the scoring with the second sac fly of the stanza.

GAME 2

Penn State Harrisburg (7-5, 2-0 United East) put up a season-high run total in the team's 22-1 victory over Gallaudet (0-10, 0-2 United East) in the second game of a conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon. 

Seven players recorded at least two hits in the nightcap, with Steph Reider driving in a game-high four runs and McKenzie Boozel tallying three RBI. Mary-Kate Penczkowski recorded her first win of the season inside the circle, while Carissa Yeager threw to scoreless innings in relief.

The Blue & White jumped out to a massive advantage to begin the game, using seven hits, seven walks, and a Gallaudet error to put up a dozen runs in the top of the first. The Lions tacked on eight more runs in the second thanks to eight hits, including an Emma Einarson lead-off double and three walks. 

The Bison plated their first run of the day in the bottom of the fourth but Penn State Harrisburg answered with a pair in the top of the ensuing frame to put a cap on the afternoon's scoring before Yeager ended the game with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth.

NOTABLES
- Across both outings, the Lions racked up 36 runs and 33 hits. 

- Carissa Yeager and Mary-Kate Penczkowski combined to allow just one hit in five innings in game one.

- Steph Reider went 3-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored in the opener. 

- Madelyn Lehigh finished 3-for-4 with a triple, three RBI, and three runs scored in the first game.

- Madelyn Krantz was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI in game one.

- Penczkowski earned the game-two victory, surrendering just one run on four hits to go along with four strikeouts.

- Reider was 2-for-3 with three walks, four RBI, and two runs scored in the nightcap.

- Lehigh finished 3-for-5 with a walk, three RBI, and a game-high three runs scored in game two.

- McKenzie Boozel went 2-for-2 with three RBI and run scored in the second contest.

- Krantz, Emma Einarson, Olivia Herncane, and Madeline English also had multi-hit second games.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions head to Lancaster Bible for another United East doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Game one is set to get underway at 1 p.m.

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