MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team slugged its way to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Cedar Crest at Courtney Pollock Memorial Field on Sunday afternoon, April 13. The Lions took game one 6-1 before rolling to a decisive 12-1 victory in five innings in the second contest.


The top of the lineup in Mackenzie Fisher, Madelyn Lehigh and Madisen Minney led the way in the opener, combining for six hits, four RBIs and three runs scored, while Kierstyn Smith had herself a two-hit game as well. Carissa Yeager earned the win inside the circle, allowing just four hits and one walk in five innings of work. Kylee Miller threw the final two frames and allowed just one baserunner.


Cedar Crest (16-15) struck first in the top of the opening stanza with an unearned run but the Lions (14-8) took a lead they wouldn't relinquish in the bottom of the second. Ashley Elefante reached on an error and Fisher worked a two-out walk before Lehigh singled home Elefante with a shot up the middle. Minney followed it up with a triple to left center, scoring Fisher and Lehigh and putting the home team ahead in the process.


Yeager retired the Falcons in order in the third and Penn State Harrisburg put up another crooked number in the fourth. Fisher led off the frame with a double and Lehigh drove her in with a single through the right side. An error allowed Olivia Herncane to reach and Rylee Martinez to score before an Aspen Walker single to first base plate Herncane to push the lead to five after four frames.


Yeager stranded a pair of runners in the fifth and Miller sat down Cedar Crest 1-2-3 in the sixth before closing things out with a pop fly, a strikeout and a groundout in the seventh.


Game two was all Penn State Harrisburg (15-8), as the Lions put up four runs in each of the first three innings and never looked back. Minney turned in a monster performance, hitting a pair of home runs, driving in five and scoring three more. Lehigh tripled and scored a pair of runs, Cara Biesecker drove in three and Martinez and Ava Allison had multi-hit games. Miller earned her sixth win of the season, allowing just one run and two hits with four strikeouts in the five-inning contest.


After a Martinez single to center field got the home team on the board in the bottom of the first, Biesecker smacked a bases-loaded double to left center, clearing the bases and making it 4-0 after one.  


Miller retired the side in order in the top of the second and the bats went back to work in the bottom half, highlighted by a three-run blast by Minney that brought Fisher and Lehigh around with her. After Martinez followed with a double, Emily Cutman matched her with a double of her own to stretch the advantage to eight after two.


The Lions kept it rolling in the third, with Sierra Sims opening the stanza with a single and Ava Allison lacing a triple to score her one at-bat later. Allison eventually scored on a wild pitch and Lehigh followed with a triple to left center. Minney stayed hot when she smoked her second homer of the game to straightaway center and effectively put the game on ice.


The Falcons (16-16) got one back in the fourth but it was far too little too late as Miller wrapped it up with another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth.


NOTABLES
- Penn State Harrisburg is currently riding a seven-game win streak.
- Fisher went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored in the opener before scoring twice with two walks in last contest.
- Lehigh was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored in game one. She went 2-for-2 with a triple, a walk and two runs scored in the second outing.
- Minney finished 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs in the first contest before going 2-for-2 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored in the nightcap.
- Smith had herself a multi-hit game one, while Allison had two hits in the final outing.
- Martinez was 2-for-2 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in the second game.
- Biesecker doubled and drove in three runs in game two.
- Yeager earned the win in the opener, allowing just four hits and no earned runs in five innings thrown.
- Miller threw the final two frames of the first game before picking up the win in game two, allowing just two hits and one run with four strikeouts.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions begin a four-game road trip when they head to Saint Elizabeth for a United East 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.