LANCASTER, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team completed the season sweep of Lancaster Bible thanks to a pair of road victories over its conference foe on Saturday afternoon, April 22. The Lions shut out the Chargers 6-0 in a game one win before holding on for a 2-1 victory in their final outing of the weekend.

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg (20-11, 12-5 United East) broke open a scoreless game in the final three innings of a 6-0 win over Lancaster Bible (8-23, 4-17 United East) in Saturday's first contest.

Kierstyn Smith doubled and drove in three runs, while Elaina Gates, Olivia Herncane, and Mackenzie Sawdey each had multi-hit outings. Sawdey also earned the win, allowing no runs and striking out six Chargers.

With the game still scoreless and two away in the top of the fifth, Smith laced a bases-loaded double to right center field that cleared the paths and gave the visitors a 3-0 lead they wouldn't relinquish. The Lions added an insurance run in the sixth when an LBC error allowed Gates to score from second base. 

The visitors kept the momentum rolling in the seventh when a Rylee Martinez double scored Mackenzie Fisher and a Herncane single to left center field plated Martin with two away. Sawdey retired nine of the final 11 batters she faced to seal the win.

GAME 2

Penn State Harrisburg (21-11, 13-5 Untied East) won a 2-1 nail-biter in the second outing of Saturday's doubleheader at Lancaster Bible (8-24, 4-18 United East) to complete the season sweep of LBC.

Steph Reider and Krys Moore each had two-hit games, Kierstyn Smith earned the win inside the circle, and Mackenzie Sawdey picked up her second save in as many days. 

After Smith worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first, the Lions got on the board in the top of the second when Olivia Herncane led off with a double, Moore moved her to third with a single, and a Madeline English RBI ground out drove in the game's first run. Back-to-back passed balls allowed Moore to come home later in the stanza, doubling the early advantage.

The Chargers cut the deficit in half when Phoebe Clemens hit an inside-the-park home run in the fifth but Sawdey entered in relief and shut down the LBC offense, using a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh inning to put the game on ice and secure the doubleheader sweep. 

NOTABLES

- Smith was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI in game one.

- Gates finished 2-for-4 with a run scored in the opener.

- Sawdey went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the first outing.

- Herncane was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the opening contest.

- Sawdey threw seven scoreless innings and struck out six to earn the win in game one. 

- Moore went 2-for-3 with a run scored in game two. 

- Herncane finished 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in the second outing.

- Reider had a multi-hit game two.

- Smith allowed just one run on five hits to go along with four strikeouts to earn the win in the nightcap.

- Sawdey earned the save in the second contest, striking out two and allowing one hit in two innings of relief.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions travel to Penn College for another key conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.

STAY CONNECTED

Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.