WASHINGTON, D.C. – Penn State Harrisburg's softball team used a doubleheader sweep of United East foe Gallaudet to pick up its first conference victories of the season on Saturday afternoon, March 30. The Lions scored four late runs to win the opener 4-0 before rolling to a 13-1 victory in six innings in the nightcap.

GAME 1

Mackenzie Sawdey matched the single-game program record for strikeouts (15) and Penn State Harrisburg (11-6, 1-2 United East) scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to secure the team's first conference victory of the season.

A pitcher's duel broke out between Sawdey and Gallaudet's Christina Elsbury for the first five frames, with neither allowing a hit until the fourth inning. The Lions finally broke through in the top of the sixth, with Kierstyn Smith leading off with a single to center field before Lauren Hess moved her to third base with a perfectly placed bunt single. Madelyn Lehigh cleared the bases and drove in the game's first two runs with a triple to center field, Lillian Feltenberger doubled the advantage with a bunt single that plated Lehigh, and Aspen Walker doubled off the wall to score Feltenberger and make it 4-0 through five and a half.

A pair of Sawdey strikeouts and strong defense prevented the Bison (4-7, 0-1 United East) from answering in the bottom of the sixth and Sawdey closed out her complete-game with two more strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh.

GAME 2

Unlike game one, Penn State Harrisburg (12-6, 2-2 United East) wasted no time putting up plenty of runs in a convincing game two victory on Saturday afternoon.

Aspen Walker had the hot hand at the dish, getting the scoring started with an RBI single up the middle that drove in Maddy Lehigh and Lilly Feltenberger in the top of the first. Before the inning was through, Walker came around thanks to a Gallaudet error. Lehigh kept it going in the second with a single up the middle that plated Sierra Sims to make it 4-0 after two.

Pitcher Kierstyn Smith helped herself with an RBI double to left field that scored Emma Einarson in the third but the Bison (4-8, 0-2 United East) got one back in the bottom half thanks to a Christina Elsbury double of her own.

Smith quickly rebounded and sat the home team down in order in the bottom of the fourth before the Lions tacked on two more in the top of the fifth thanks to a Cara Biesecker sacrifice fly and Smith's RBI single that plated Herncane.

After Smith worked another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth, Penn State Harrisburg put things out of reach for good with a six-run top of the sixth that included five hits and another Gallaudet error.

NOTABLES

- Sawdey improved to 8-1 on the spring, earning the complete-game win in the opener, allowing just five hits and no walks, and matching the single-game program record with a career-high 15 strikeouts.

- Feltenberger was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in game one.

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

- Lehigh tripled, drove in two runs, and scored another in the opener. She also set the program record for career runs scored with 108.

- Walker finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored in game two.

- Lehigh was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI in the nightcap.

- Smith earned her second win of the spring, allowing just one run on five hits to go along with seven strikeouts in six innings thrown. She also went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions continue conference play when they travel to Penn State Abington for another United East doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.

STAY CONNECTED 

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