READING, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg had a tough day all around on Wednesday, Apr. 3. The Lions struggled to hit in their first game of the afternoon and committed five errors in their second outing. North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) rival Penn State Berks took full advantage of the Blue & White's inabilities to get things going and picked up a pair of victories over Harrisburg by 9-0 and 9-1 margins.
Penn State Harrisburg managed just two hits in the opener. Sophomore captain Gabrielle Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge) singled in the top of the fourth innings and freshman infielder Jennifer Bear (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) knocked a single of her own in the fifth. Aside from that, the visitors' bats were cold.
The Blue & White committed one error in the first contest and that mistake led to the first Berks' run of the day in the first stanza.
Despite going hitless through the first three innings, starting pitcher Kara Boyd (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) and her defense behind her did enough to keep the deficit to just two runs in the early going. Unfortunately for the visitors, Berks's offense came to life in the bottom of the fourth.
The home team used four hits, three of which were doubles, and three walks to score seven runs and blow the game wide open.
Boyd threw four innings inside the circle, surrendering five hits, seven walks and eight earned runs in addition to striking out three batters. Wolfe and Bear each went 1-2 and freshman Rieley Loch (Madison Township, Pa. / North Pocono) was the other Harrisburg player to reach base. The first baseman walked in the fourth inning.
The Lions showed some life to begin the nightcap and got on the scoreboard first. Boyd's bunt single gave the ladies their first baserunner of the game and Loch moved her to second base with a ground ball to the right side. Sophomore Erika Love (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) singled up the middle to move Boyd to third and junior Alisha House (Crownpoint, N.M. / Thoreau) drove her in with a single through the right side.
Unfortunately, two Harrisburg errors in the bottom half of the stanza aided Berks in their quest to answer back. The opposing Lions got three runs in the first and would never relinquish their lead.
Berks got two more runs in the bottom of the second, fourth and fifth innings and Harrisburg committed an error in each of those stanzas save for the final one.
Wolfe pitched 4.2 innings and gave up nine runs, only six of which were earned. She struck out four batters but surrendered nine hits and four walks. Boyd was 2-3 from the plate with a run scored. House was 2-2 with an RBI.
The losses were Penn State Harrisburg's ninth and tenth straight. The Lions won three games during their Myrtle Beach, S.C. Spring Break trip during the first week of March. They have yet to win since returning home and now sit 3-13 on the season and 0-2 in NEAC play.
The Blue & White will look to end its recent skid this weekend when the Lions host the reigning NEAC South Division champions from Wilson on Saturday, Apr. 6.