MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team dropped a pair of contests to Penn State Brandywine in the United East Conference opener at Courtney Pollock Memorial Field on Saturday afternoon, March 29. The Lions took a slim lead in the second inning of game one before the visitors won 6-2. Penn State Brandywine completed the doubleheader sweep with a 7-0 victory in the nightcap.
GAME 1
Penn State Brandywine (12-5, 2-0 United East) got up by one run early in the first inning when Ava Craddock singled down the left field line. In the third inning, Penn State Harrisburg (8-7, 2-1 United East) found life thanks to a single by
Sierra Sims and a sacrifice fly from
Cara Biesecker that scored the squads lone runs of the day.
The visiting Lions added another run in the fifth frame before tacking on three more in the last inning of the opener. Kaylee Mushinski, Craddock, and Naya Rivera all recorded singles and drove in one run apiece to secure the 6-2 victory in favor of Penn State Brandywine.
In the circle,
Kylee Miller pitched nearly the whole game and recorded seven strikeouts, while Penn State Brandywine's April Lewandowski earned the win and tallied six strikeouts of her own.
GAME 2
It was all Penn State Brandywine in game two, as they scored seven unanswered runs to secure the doubleheader sweep of the hometown Lions.
After getting up 1-0 in the second frame, the visitors extended their lead in the third inning by scoring four more runs. Lexi Bussenger and Emma McElroy sent back-to-back doubles into left field and Madie Culbertson hit a SAC fly to give Penn State Brandywine a four-point cushion early.
In the top of the fourth, a fielding error by Penn State Harrisburg led the away team to tally two more runs that proved to be the final scoring plays of the day for both sides. Penn State Brandywine's Isabella Hurta earned the win for the visitors, as she pitched the entire game and didn't allow a single run.
Kierstyn Smith started in the circle for the hometown Lions, while Carrissa Yeager finished out the contest.
NOTABLES
- In game one,
Madelyn Lehigh went 3-for-3, while Sims, Biesecker,
Olivia Herncane, and
Elaina Gates all added a hit apiece.
- Sims and Biesecker both tallied RBIs during the first contest.
-
Kylee Miller pitched just over six innings for Penn State Harrisburg in the opener and earned seven strikeouts.
- Lehigh,
Emily Cutman, Sims, and
Lillian Feltenberger each recorded a hit in game two.
- In the nightcap, Smith and Yeager together had a pair of strikeouts.
WHO'S NEXT?
Penn State Harrisburg is back home on Wednesday, April 2 as they host United East Conference opponent Keystone at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The contest will serve as the program's Mental Health Awareness game.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.
