MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team secured their spot in the final weekend of the United East Championship Tournament thanks to a doubleheader sweep of Cedar Crest in second round action on Friday afternoon, May 2. The Lions earned a 10-2 victory in the opener before cruising to an 11-1 win in the nightcap at Courtney Pollock Memorial field.


Mackenzie Fisher and Madelyn Lehigh led the way on offense for the Lions, as Fisher earned six hits and two RBIs on the day and Lehigh recorded four hits and drove in four runs. Aspen Walker and Cara Biesecker each turned in three hits and a pair of RBIs between both contests against the Falcons. In the circle, Kylee Miller earned her 12th victory of the season in game one and Carissa Yeager pitched the first three innings of the nightcap which was good enough to secure the victory for the home team.


In game one, the Falcons (18-21) started off the scoring in the second inning, thanks to a fielding error by the home team that allowed Alex Mullen and Madison Nadasi to score and put Cedar Crest up 2-0 early. The Lions (26-11) quickly bounced back in the third frame, as the squad tallied six runs and turned the tides in their favor by a score of 6-2.


Lehigh started off the rally with a single down the right field line that earned her a pair of RBIs and tied the game in the third. And it was Lehigh yet again who fueled the scoring in the fourth inning with another single and Walker followed her up with an RBI double. The Lions piled on two more runs in the sixth frame, which secured the 10-2 victory in the opener.


Penn State Harrisburg (27-11) scored early and often in the nightcap, starting with Rylee Martinez in the first inning when she hit a sacrifice fly into left field to send Fisher across home plate. Through the second and third innings, the Lions scored 10 unanswered runs that included two singles from Sierra Sims and Fisher chipped in a double and a single of her own.


Cedar Crest (18-22) scored their lone run of the second contest in the final inning when Natalie Hasert singled into right field and allowed Taylor Faw to cross home plate. The last second surge unfortunately was not enough for the Falcons to overcome the 10-point deficit.


NOTABLES
- Fisher went 6-for-7 between both games, as she tallied six hits and two RBIs.
- Miller earned her 12th win of the season in game one, pitching all six innings and striking out three batters.
- Lehigh finished the day with four hits and four RBIs.
- In the nightcap, Sims went 2-for-2 to go along with a pair of RBIs.
-  Biesecker and Walker both had three hits and drove in two runs each.
- Through both contests on Friday, Madisen Minney had three hits, and Ava Allison added a pair of hits.
- Martinez drove in three runs, while Emily Cutman added two RBIs.
- Yeager won her seventh game of the year in three innings pitched, while Kierstyn Smith finished things out in the last two frames for the Lions.


WHO'S NEXT?
Penn State Harrisburg will compete in a double-elimination championship tournament with fellow United East teams Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, and Penn College starting on Friday, May 9. The Lions will begin competition against Penn State Brandywine in the second game of the day at 12 p.m. The entirety of the United East Softball Championship Final Four will be hosted by Penn State Berks at Hintz Athletic Fields.


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