LANCASTER, 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 Lancaster Bible in second round action on Friday afternoon, May 1. The Lions earned a 10-1 victory in the opener before battling to an 8-4 win in the nightcap.
In game one, Penn State Harrisburg's offense tallied seven hits, while
Kylee Miller limited the Chargers (20-12) to one run on five hits, striking out eight batters in a complete-game performance.
The contest broke open in the third inning when the Lions (23-12) scored a handful of runs.
Lauren Maguire reached first on an error and later scored on
Aspen Walker's RBI double. Walker and
Emily Cutman both scored on defensive miscues, while
Rylee Martinez and
Kierstyn Smith contributed with an RBI single and a groundout, respectively. In the bottom half of the third frame, Lancaster Bible tallied their lone run of the contest thanks to Kendall Jackman's RBI triple to left field.
In the fourth inning, the visitors had another massive outing and scoring five more runs.
Mackenzie Fisher and Maguire singled to start the frame, with Fisher scoring on an error. Maguire also crossed home plate on an error, while Walker scored on a sacrifice fly by Martinez. Cutman scored on a wild pitch, and Smith scored after Fisher drew a bases-loaded walk. Penn State Harrisburg took game one 10-1 in just five total innings.
The Lions (24-12) opened the nightcap with two unearned runs in the first inning.
Madisen Minney walked and later scored, while Cutman advanced on a single and scored due to a defensive miscue. Lancaster Bible (20-13) responded in their half of the inning with a two-run double from Kiera Price, tying the game 2-2.
In the third inning, Cutman hit a solo home run to left center field, giving Penn State Harrisburg a slight 3-2 advantage. The visitors tacked on three more runs in the very next frame, starting with
Ashley Elefante who walked and scored on a single by Maguire. Cutman then drove in a pair of runs with a single, bringing Minney and Maguire home. Lancaster Bible's Grace Goodman and Jackman both forced bases-loaded walks in their half of the fourth, which allowed the home team to get within striking range 6-4.
Penn State Harrisburg secured their victory thanks to two additional runs in the seventh and final inning. Elefante and Maguire both scored, with Maguire driving in Elefante with a single. Minney's double to right center field tacked on the eighth run of the contest, bringing the final score to 8-4 in favor of the Lions.
NOTABLES
- Miller earned her 10th win of the season in the circle, striking out eight batters in the first contest.
- In game two, Cutman went 3-for-4 with a trio of RBIs.
- Elefante went a perfect 2-for-2 in the opener, with an RBI.
- Walker, Martinez, Sims, and Fisher all chipped in an RBI each in game one.
- Maguire went 2-for-3 in the first contest, adding a pair of RBIs.
- Minney went 2-for-2, tallying an RBI in the opener.
-
Megan Foltz,
Allyson Leidy, and Miller all shared time in the circle during the nightcap.
WHO'S NEXT?
Penn State Harrisburg advances to next weekend's United East Championship Series hosted by top-seeded Penn State Brandywine.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X and Youtube using the handle
@pshbgathletics.
