MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team dropped a pair of tightly-contested games on the final day of spring break competition in South Carolina on Thursday, March 13. The Lions were edged 3-2 by FDU-Florham in the day's first outing before again falling by the slimmest of margins in a 4-3 setback to Thiel in the final contest of the afternoon.


Mackenzie Fisher had a two-hit effort in the opener, while Madelyn Lehigh and Sierra Sims each tripled. Kierstyn Smith turned in a sterling relief effort, throwing the final three innings without allowing a baserunner. 


FDU-Florham (5-4) used five hits to score three runs in the top of the fourth but the Lions (3-2) cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Olivia Herncane led off the half-inning with a single and advanced to second base before Aleisa Rowe moved her along to third with a sacrifice bunt. Lehigh came through with a two-out, RBI triple to get Penn State Harrisburg on the board and Fisher drove her in with a single to center field. 


The Lions put the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh when Rowe was hit by a pitch with one away but Penn State Harrisburg was unable to bring her around and extend the game. 


Sims had a big second game, finishing with three hits, while Fisher and Lehigh each drove in runs. Kylee Miller made a relief appearance and allowed just one run on three hits in 4.1 innings of work. 


Thiel (4-1) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, putting up a pair of runs in the opening frame and tacking on another in the top of the second before adding one more to push the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth. 


After stranding three runners in scoring position in the early innings, the Lions finally broke through with a crooked number in the bottom of the fifth. Lehigh drove in the team's first run with an RBI groundout that scored Ashley Elefante and an error allowed Rowe to score on a Fisher bunt. A wild pitch with two away allowed Fisher to come around and cut the deficit to one through five frames.


Penn State Harrisburg moved runners into scoring position in both the sixth and seventh, respectively, but again could not drive them in, allowing Thiel to escape with the narrow victory in the nightcap. 


NOTABLES
- Sims went 4-for-7 with a triple across both games.
- Fisher finished 3-for-7 with two RBIs and a run scored on the day. 
- Lehigh tripled, drove in a combined two runs and scored one of her own.
- Smith threw three scoreless innings of relief and did not allow a baserunner against FDU-Florham.
- Smith allowed one run on three hits in 4.1 innings of relief against Thiel.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions return to Pennsylvania and travel to Elizabethtown for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, March 18. 


STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.