MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Penn State Harrisburg got its season started under the South Carolina sun on Monday, Mar. 4. The Blue & White split their doubleheader against Penn State Hazleton and Eastern, falling to the opposing Lions 4-2 in the opening contest before bouncing back nicely and blanking the Eagles 8-0 in game number two.
The ladies led 2-1 against Hazleton before a three-run homer gave Harrisburg's opponents a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Lions' freshman Riley Loch (Madison Township, Pa. / North Pocono) hit a home run in her first career collegiate at-bat, joining former player Jess Shuey as the only players in school-history to accomplish the impressive feat.
Penn State Harrisburg played like a different team in the afternoon's second outing. Senior pitcher Kara Boyd (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) was fantastic in her first start of the year, throwing a complete five inning game and giving up just two hits and striking out four batters.
The ladies got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when a wild pitch allowed Loch to score from third. They got another in the bottom of the third when sophomore captain Gabrielle Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge) scored on another wild pitch.
Freshman outfielder Rachel Fisher (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) picked up an RBI by singling to right field and scoring freshman Jennifer Bear (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) in the bottom of the fourth. Wolfe was the ensuing batter and she singled back up the middle to score freshman outfielder Jasmine Yanich (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township), making it 4-0 Harrisburg.
Boyd struck out two Eastern batters and got the final lady to line out in the top of the fifth and the Blue & White offense put it away in the bottom half of the stanza.
Yanich worked a walk with the bases loaded and picked up an RBI when junior Alisha House (Crownpoint, N.M. / Thoreau) crossed the plate. Boyd helped her own cause when she singled in fellow senior Danielle Ringel (McKees Rock, Pa. / Sto-Rox) during her final at bat and an Eastern error three batters later allowed Yanich to score the game's final run.
Boyd and Wolfe each went 2-4 from the plate with an RBI apiece and a run scored. Senior designated hitter Katherine Bernardi (Fredericksburg, Pa. / Northern Lebanon) went 2-3 and Yanich scored a game-high two runs in addition to driving in a run and walking twice.
The Lions will look to improve on their 1-1 record when they take on Cabrini and Ursinus in doubleheader action on day two of their Myrtle Beach trip on Tuesday, Mar. 5.