ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team was firing on all cylinders in a doubleheader sweep at Elizabethtown in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon, March 18. The bats roared during a 10-8 victory in the opener, while Kierstyn Smith shined inside the circle during a 5-0 win in the nightcap.
The Lions (4-3) jumped out to an early lead in game one, built a sizable lead and held off a late rally by Etown (2-7). Mackenzie Fisher had a three-hit outing, Aspen Walker drove in five runs and Madelyn Lehigh finished with two runs and two RBIs. Kylee Miller picked up the win inside the circle, throwing four-plus innings and striking out five before giving way to Carissa Yeager who preserved the victory after throwing the final 2.2 frames.
Penn State Harrisburg exploded out of the gate and scored four runs in the top of the first. A Cara Biesecker single to center field drove in Fisher and Walker's bases-clearing double scored Lehigh, Madisen Minney and Biesecker to put the Blue Jays in an early 4-0 hole.
The home team got one back in the bottom half but Walker answered in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Minney from third. The floodgates opened again for the Lions when they posted their second four-run inning of the contest in the fourth. A Lehigh single to center field drove in a Fisher and Sierra Sims before Walker doubled for the second time, plating Lehigh in the process. Olivia Herncane added an RBI grounder that scored Minney and the lead ballooned to 9-1 through three and a half.
Etown started to find a groove in the late innings, however, and got four back in the fifth before cutting the deficit to three with a lone run in the sixth. The Lions tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Fisher singled up the middle and drove in Elaina Gates and despite the Blue Jays threatening in the bottom half, Yeager limited the damage to preserve the game one victory.
What appeared to be a pitcher's duel in the early going, game two took a turn thanks to timely hitting from Fisher midway through the contest. Fisher went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in, while Herncane had a monster game, finishing with two hits and three RBIs. Sims also had a multi-hit outing in the second matchup. Smith was stellar on the rubber, throwing a complete-game shutout, allowing just six hits and striking out four.
After three scoreless innings to begin the game, Penn State Harrisburg (5-3) finally broke through in the fourth when Fisher singled through the right side and scored Aleisa Rowe and Fallon McFadden with two outs. Smith quickly retired the Blue Jays (2-8) in the bottom half and the Lions went back to work in the fifth, scoring three runs on a pair of hits and a walk, an error and a hit by pitch. Herncane's bases-loaded single to left center was the final nail in the coffin when it scored Cara Biesecker, Minney and Rowe to extend the lead to 5-0.
Smith retired Etown in order in the bottom of the fifth and allowed just two baserunners in the final two stanzas to complete the impressive shutout victory.
NOTABLES
- Fisher had a monster day, going 5-for-9 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored across both games.
- Herncane was 4-for-8 with four RBIs on the day.
- Walker hit two doubles and drove in five runs in game one.
- Sims had three hits on the day, including a double.
- Smith threw a complete, seven-inning shoutout in game two, allowing just six hits and striking out four.
- Miller turned in a quality start in the opener, throwing 4.4. innings with five strikeouts.
- Yeager did not allow an earned run during her 2.2 innings of relief.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions travel to York (Pa.) for another non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.
