MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team impressed in a doubleheader sweep of Cairn at Courtney Pollock Memorial Field on Saturday afternoon, March 22. The Lions shut out the Highlanders 9-0 in five innings in the opener before closing out the day with a 13-1 five-inning victory.


Madisen Minney had a multi-hit game to begin the day, doubling and scoring a pair of runs, while Aspen Walker drove in three runs and scored two more. Elaina Gates also had a two-hit opener, scoring a run and driving in another. Inside the circle, Kylee Miller allowed just one hit and one walk to earn her third win of the spring.


The Lions (7-4) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first when Olivia Herncane's sacrifice fly to left field plated Aleisa Rowe before Walker scored from third on a two-out wild pitch. Penn State Harrisburg tripled the advantage in the second when Walker cleared the bases with a double to left field and Rylee Martinez drove in Walker with a double of her own during the ensuing at-bat.


In the bottom of the third, the home team tacked on an insurance run when an Elaina Gates single to left field allowed Minney to score. The Lions kept things rolling in the fourth when Jocelyn Bennett drove in Herncane and Minney with a two-out single and Miller retired the Highlanders (2-6) in order in the top of the fifth to end the game two innings early.


Game two saw Penn State Harrisburg (8-4) rack up 15 hits, with Cara Biesecker leading the way with three of them to go along with three RBIs and two runs scored. Sierra Sims also drove in three runs and scored two of her own, while Carissa Yeager and Ava Allison also had multi-hit games. Kierstyn Smith threw her second straight complete game, allowing just three baserunners with six strikeouts.


Cairn (2-7) took advantage of a first-inning error to score an unearned run but the Lions (8-4) responded with a crooked number in the bottom of the frame. Minney got the scoring started with an RBI double that drove in Walker before five straight singles from Biesecker, Sims, Yeager, Lillian Feltenberger and Allison led to three more runs.


Smith followed it up with an immaculate inning, needing just three pitches to register three outs. The home team pushed the lead to 5-1 in the second when a Biesecker single through the left side scored Rowe before putting together a massive bottom of the third that saw the Lions put up eight runs on seven hits, including a Sims triple and doubles from Yeager, Allison and Fallon McFadden, to put things out of reach.


NOTABLES
- The Lions recorded 26 total hits across both games.
- Minney went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs in game one.
- Walker doubled and finished with three RBIs and two runs scored in the opener.
- Gates was 2-for-2 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in the first contest.
- Miller racked up eight strikeouts and allowed just two baserunners in the game one win.
- Biesecker was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the second contest.
- Sims went 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs in game two.
- Yeager finished 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, a run scored and an RBI in the nightcap.
- Allison was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the second game.
- Smith picked up her fourth win of the year, allowing just three baserunners and striking out six in the second outing.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host Dickinson for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday 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.