MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team only needed 10 innings to complete the doubleheader sweep of United East Conference foe Cairn on Saturday afternoon, April 11. In the opener, the Lions earned an 8-0 decision before rolling to a decisive 12-4 victory in game two.


Lauren Maguire led the way for the Lions, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, while Mackenzie Fisher went a perfect 2-for-2 and had a pair of runs. Madisen Minney added a pair of RBI of her own thanks to home run into left field. Kylee Miller earned the complete-game victory in the circle, striking out 10 batters.


In the first contest, both squads went scoreless for two innings before Penn State Harrisburg's (15-6, 7-2 United East) offense came alive in the third frame. Fisher started things off with a triple to left field, followed by Maguire's RBI single that brought Fisher home. Minney hit a two-run homer to put the home team up 3-0 going into the fourth inning.


The momentum continued into the fifth inning when Fisher doubled to left center and Maguire hit an RBI double to add a pair of runs to the Lions' 5-0 lead. Emily Cutman was able to reach base thanks to a fielding error by the Highlanders (6-17, 3-6 United East), which sent another run home. Martinez contributed with an RBI double, and subsequent errors by Cairn's defense enabled additional runs to score. The home team ended the frame with a five-run surge, extending the lead to 8-0, which held as the final score.


It was Maguire yet again who led the Lions in the second contest with four RBI and going 3-for-3, while Kierstyn Smith also went a perfect 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Anne Carter got the start and the win in the circle, striking out four batters. Lexi Bureau went the last two innings for the home team.


The second inning of game two was pivotal for Penn State Harrisburg (16-6, 6-2 United East), as the squad scored five key runs. The surge began with Smith who doubled to bring in Lilian Feltenberger, and Maguire's double to right center cleared the bases. Minney added another run with a double of her own, to end the frame 5-0 in favor of the Lions.


Cairn (6-18, 3-7 United East) saw their first two runs come in the third inning, when Riley Curtis hit an RBI double and then she scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 5-2. The home team answered with four runs of their own, including a double each from Fisher and Cutman and a single by Maguire.


With Penn State Harrisburg up 9-2 going into the fourth frame, Sierra Sims scored on a single by Smith. However, the Highlanders had another timely two-point rally to get them within a 10-4 striking distance in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the final inning, Feltenberger hit a single and ultimately Sims came through with a walk-off single to end the contest 12-4.


NOTABLES
- Maguire had a dominant day for the Lions, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in the opener and going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI in game two.
- Fisher went 2-for-2 with two runs in the first contest.
- In the opener, Minney tallied three RBIs on the day for the home team and hit her first home run of the season in game one.
- Martinez was 2-for-3 with an RBI in the first contest.
- Miller earned her sixth win of the season in the circle and tied her career-high of 10 strikeouts in a game in the opener.
- Smith went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI in the second game.
- In the game two, Cutman added a pair of RBI.
- Carter improved to 3-0 on the season in the circle, adding four strikeouts.


WHO'S NEXT?
Penn State Harrisburg travels to Chambersburg, Pa. on Wednesday, April 15 for a conference doubleheader against Wilson.


STAY CONNECTED
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