YORK, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg dropped highly contested games to Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) foe York (Pa.) by a score of 6-3 in game one and 5-4 in eight innings in game two.
The Lions' offense got going early, striking in the first inning. Freshman Kayla Seyfert (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) lead off the game by slapping a ball past the first base for a hit. After Junior Keriann Saich (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey) reached on error, Freshman Leah Palm (Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin) drove a ball through left side gap to load the bases. Junior Gabby Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge) smacked a double to center field which drove in two runs. Junior Erika Love (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) punched a ball up the middle to score another run and put the Blue & White up 3 to 0.
The lead would not hold as York was able to draw several walks and capitalize scoring 5 runs in the second frame and a sixth run in the third.
Penn State Harrisburg turned the pitching over to Wolfe in the top of the fourth inning and she settled the defense down, only allowing two hits through the next three innings.
Meanwhile the Harrisburg offense was able to get base runners in scoring position in both the fourth and fifth innings, but could not drive in any runs. The Lions fell 6 to 3.
Gabby Wolfe returned to the mound to start game 2. Wolfe gave up a run in each of the first two innings, but found her groove holding the Spartans in check till the sixth stanza.
Penn State Harrisburg's offense struggled to begin the game. They were only able to get two hits through the first five innings.
In the top of the sixth frame, the offense finally found some life. Kayla Seyfert hit a single to right field followed by a Leah Palm walk. Gabby Wolfe helped her own cause with a single up the middle to drive in the team's first run. With runners on second and third Erika Love crushed an outside pitch over the left field fence for the three run homerun.
York answered in the bottom of the inning with leadoff homerun which cut the lead to 4 to 3. The Lions turned to Seyfert to relieve Wolfe, but she could not hold the lead and the game went to the seventh inning tied at 4.
After both teams were held scoreless in the seventh, the game went to extra innings. Using the international tie break Harrisburg started the stanza with a runner on second base. Palm lead off the inning by laying down a bunt, but was called out for runners inference holding the runner at second. The Blue & White could not recover and drive in the run, but York did winning the game 5 to 4.
Penn State Harrisburg will next be in action tomorrow Thursday, Apr. 10 against Mary Washington at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.