MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's softball team picked up a pair of pivotal conference victories with a doubleheader sweep of United East rival Penn College at Courtney Pollock Memorial Field on Sunday afternoon, April 14. The Lions opened the day with a 5-1 victory before winning a low-scoring affair 3-1 in the second contest.
GAME 1
Maddy Lehigh went 4-for-4, Aspen Walker drove in two runs, and Mackenzie Sawdey allowed just one run to lead the way for Penn State Harrisburg (17-8, 7-4 United East) in the team's game one win over Penn College (15-6, 7-2 United East) on Sunday.
The Lions wasted little time getting on the board, with Lehigh leading off the bottom of the first with a single and Mackenzie Fisher moving her from first to third with a sacrifice bunt. Cara Biesecker promptly drove her in to give the home team the early advantage.
The Wildcats drew even with a run in the top of the second but Lehigh ended a bases-loaded threat by snaring a lineout at her shortstop position and firing to third to complete the double play. In the bottom of the third, Penn State Harrisburg added plenty of insurance, scoring four runs on five hits, including RBI singles from Fisher and Walker before a Penn College error allowed two more runs to score.
Sawdey kept the powerful Wildcat lineup in check all game and worked out of trouble when need be, including leaving them loaded in the third and stranding a pair of runners in the fourth and seventh innings. She put an exclamation point on the day's first win with a called strikeout to end the contest.
GAME 2
Penn State Harrisburg (18-8, 8-4 United East) used a stellar pitching performance from Carissa Yeager, timely defense, and a three-run fourth inning to win game two and complete the valuable doubleheader sweep of Penn College (15-7, 7-3 United East).
Yeager and Penn College's Fayth Anderson engaged in a pitcher's duel, with the former not surrendering a single earned run and allowing just four hits, while the latter gave up just three hits and recorded five strikeouts.
The bats of Lillian Feltenberger and Sierra Sims were the difference, with both coming through with clutch two-out hits in the bottom of the fourth to break the scoreless tie. Feltenberger doubled down the left field line to score Cara Biesecker and Alexus Brown before Sims drove Feltenberger in with a single to right field.
An error put a Penn College baserunner in scoring position before a Maggie Mangene RBI single cut the deficit to two in the sixth but Yeager limited the damage to preserve the lead. She followed it up with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to seal the thrilling victory.
NOTABLES
- Lehigh finished 4-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored in game one.
- Hess went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the first outing.
- Walker was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored in the opener.
- Fisher went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in the first contest.
- Sawdey improved to 12-2 on the year, earning the game one win after allowing just one run and striking out four batters.
- Yeager earned the complete-game win in the finale, surrendering just four hits without allowing an earned run.
- Felteberger was 1-for-2 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored in game two.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host Widener for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, April 16.
STAY CONNECTED
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