MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team secured its first doubleheader sweep of the season, taking two from Gwynedd Mercy at Courtney Pollock Memorial Field on Monday afternoon, April 6. The Lions won the opener 14-5 in five innings before closing out the sweep with a 12-3, five-inning victory in the nightcap.


GAME 1
Gwynedd Mercy (7-13) jumped out to an early lead to begin the game but the Lions (11-6) quickly erased the deficit and rolled to a comfortable win in Monday's first contest.


Lauren Maguire went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs, while Ashley Elefante singled finished with a triple, a double, two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Sierra Sims drove in three runs, Madisen Minney had a multi-hit game and Emily Cutman reached base three times.


After the Griffins scored the game's first two runs, Penn State Harrisburg used seven hits to score seven runs in the bottom of the first. Cutman doubled to drive in a pair, as did Elefante to make it 3-0. Sims singled down the right field line to bring two more across and Maguire added a two-out single that scored Sims and Aspen Walker to stretch the advantage to five.


The Lions kept rolling in the second, using five more hits to add five more runs. Elefante's triple scored Cutman, Sims singled home Elefante and Aleisa Rowe added an RBI double. Mackenzie Fisher, Maguire and Minney each drove in a run apiece before the stanza was through to extend the lead to 13-2 after two. 


GMU cut into the deficit thanks to a three-run home run in the top of the fourth but Penn State Harrisburg responded when Jocelyn Bennett singled home Fisher in the bottom half, capping the game's scoring and making for an early finish.


GAME 2
Penn State Harrisburg (12-6) jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in the team's convincing game two victory over the Griffins (7-14).


Minney finished 3-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Elaina Gates had a multi-hit game, while Cutman doubled and drove in three runs. Fisher, Walker, Maguire and Lillian Feltenberger each scored two runs, while Lexi Bureau earned the first win of her career inside the circle.


Minney got the scoring started with an RBI double in the top of the first before Cutman followed with a two-RBI double of her own. The Lions tacked on four more in the bottom of the second thanks to a couple of sacrifice flies from Cutman and Rylee Martinez. 


Three more runs in the top of the third pushed the advantage to double digits before an Emily Karetas single through the left side drove in two more in the bottom of the fourth. The Griffins scored three in the top of the fifth but it proved far too little, too late. 


NOTABLES
- Maguire was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in the opener.
- Cutman went 1-for-1 with a double, two walks, two RBI and a pair of runs scored in game one.
- Sims finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in the first contest.
- Elefante tripled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored two more in the opening game. 
- Minney was 2-for-4 in game one and finished 3-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in game two.
- Gates had a multi-hit second contest. 
- Cutman doubled and drove in three runs in the second game. 
- Fisher, Maguire, Feltenberger and Walker each scored two runs in the nightcap.


WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions return to conference play when they travel to Valley Forge for a United East doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.


STAY CONNECTED 
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