READING, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg softball split with top-seeded Penn State Berks on the first day of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Tournament Semifinal Series on Sunday afternoon, May 9, forcing a deciding game three scheduled for Monday afternoon. The Lions dropped a 5-2 decision in game one before responding with a thrilling 8-7 victory in extra innings in the nightcap.

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg took an early lead but was unable to hold off the high-powered Penn State Berks offense in a 5-2 loss in the opening contest of Sunday's NEAC Tournament Semifinal Series.

Kaylee DeMatteo got things started with a single to center field in the top of the second inning. Harlee Sampson ran for her and eventually scored after a Delaney Nevius base knock moved her along and Regan Englehart's single allowed her to come across on a throwing error.

The Lions doubled their advantage when Emma Einarson's RBI double scored Nevius from second base in the top of the fourth but the home team finally roared to life in the fifth, using five hits, including a double, and one error to put up five runs.

GAME 2

Penn State Harrisburg bounced back in the second game of Sunday's NEAC Tournament Semifinal Series, holding off Penn State Berks in an 8-7, nine-inning victory, evening the best-of-three series, and forcing a deciding game on Monday, May 10.

With the score tied in the top of the ninth, a Krysten Moore groundout moved Emma Einarson along to third base before Courtney Fleisher drove in what proved to be the winning run with a sacrifice fly to left field. The home team moved the winning run to third base in the bottom half but Mary-Kate Penczkowski got the final two batter to ground out to seal the victory and force a game three.

Each team plated two runs in the eighth inning, with a Steph Reider RBI single scoring Maddie Krantz and a Sarah Coolbaugh double driving in Reider in the top half before Penn State Berks used two hits and an error to draw even.

The visitors trailed after one but a Fleisher single drove in Moore and Einarson and gave Penn State Harrisburg its first lead of the game in the top of the second. The home team tied things up in the bottom of the fourth but Krantz gave the Blue & White a huge lift with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth.

The hometown Lions used a two-run homer to cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the sixth before a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh reset the game. Mary-Kate Penczkowski worked out of trouble with runners in scoring position to force extra innings and allow the visitors to pull the upset.

NOTABLES:

- Delaney Nevius finished 3-for-3 in game one.

- Kaylee DeMatteo and Regan Englehart joined her as players to have multi-hit opening outings.

- Emma Einarson had a double and drove in a run in the first contest.

- Mary-Kate Penczkowski got the start and went five innings in the opener before Courtney Fleisher relieved her in the sixth.

- Penczkowski earned the win in game two, throwing the last four innings after Fleisher went the first five. The pair allowed just three earned runs.

- Fleisher was also went 3-for-4 at the dish, with three RBI and a run scored in the second outing.

- Madelyn Krantz hit her third home run of the season in the nightcap, finishing with three RBI and two runs scored.

- Sarah Coolbaugh was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

- Steph Reider also drove in a run, while Krysten Moore had a two-hit game two.

- With the victory, the Lions improved to 12-11-1 on the season.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions will face off with Penn State Berks in game three on Monday afternoon with a berth in the NEAC Championship Series on the line. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.