WASHINGTON, D.C. – Penn State Harrisburg's strong play continued on Saturday, Apr. 13 when the Lions swept their doubleheader with North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) opponent Gallaudet. The ladies allowed just one run in their 4-1 win in game number one. They used a big seventh inning to put the Bison away in the finale, 6-3.
Sophomore Gabrielle Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge) threw a complete seven-inning game in the opener, allowing five hits and just one run in addition to striking out seven Gallaudet batters. She also went 3-4 from the plate with two doubles and two runs scored.
Penn State Harrisburg left runners on base in each of the first two innings before finally breaking through in the top of the third. Wolfe led off with a double to center field and senior Kara Boyd (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) drove her in by tripling. Freshman Rieley Loch (Madison Township, Pa. / North Pocono) followed it up with a triple of her own that scored Boyd to make it 2-0 Harrisburg. Loch took advantage of a Gallaudet error and plated to give the visitors the early three-run advantage.
The Bison got one back in the bottom of the third but the Lions answered right back in the top of the fourth when Wolfe doubled again and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The score held from that point forward as Wolfe shut the door on Gallaudet's offense. She allowed just two hits in the final four innings and sealed the victory by snagging a lineout to end the game.
Boyd and Loch each went 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Erika Love (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) picked up an RBI and senior Danielle Ringel (McKees Rock, Pa. / Sto-Rox) notched the team's seventh hit of the game.
Loch, Love and Ringel performed at the plate in the nightcap as well. Loch and Love both went 2-4 from the plate. Both ladies recorded an RBI and Loch scored twice. Ringel was 2-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.
This time it was Boyd who turned in a stout performance inside the circle. She went the distance, throwing seven innings and giving up four hits, five walks and three runs in addition to recording nine strikeouts.
The Lions actually fell behind early when Gallaudet scored a lone run in the bottom of the first. It took them four innings to draw even with the home team.
Loch and Love notched back-to-back singles in the bottom of the fourth and Ringel's single to right field plated Loch and tied the score at 1-1.
Boyd worked out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and two away, she got Gallaudet's Chelsea Lee to strikeout to end the stanza and the threat. The final inning belonged to Penn State Harrisburg.
Ringel worked a walk to start off the top of the seventh. Senior Kat Bernardi's (Fredericksburg, Pa. / Northern Lebanon) pinch hit double to right center field drove her in and gave the Blue & White its first lead of the game. Sophomore Alli Trutt (Halifax, Pa. / Halifax) spelled Bernardi on the base path and freshman Rachel Fisher (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) plated her thanks to a single to left field. Wolfe walked and Loch singled to centerfield, bringing home Fisher and Wolfe. Love singled through the left side and Loch scored to make it 6-1 Harrisburg.
The Bison didn't simply roll over, however, and responded with two runs in the bottom of the stanza. In the end, Boyd got Gallaudet's Rachel Sweigart to fly out to center field, giving the Lions their fifth consecutive victory.
Penn State Harrisburg racked up ten hits to Gallaudet's four and the Bison left seven valuable runners on base.
With the doubleheader sweep, the Lions improved to 8-16 overall and 3-5 in NEAC play. The recent hot-streak has moved the team up from out of the league standings' basement. In the squad's next outing, Penn State Harrisburg hosts another conference foe in St. Elizabeth in a doubleheader on Sunday, Apr. 14.