VALLEY FORGE, Pa. – How do you top a two win, 11 strikeout, no earned run performance inside the circle? Why, you hit three home runs including a grand slam, of course. Still not impressed? How about doing both on the same day? Penn State Harrisburg's Gabrielle Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge) had quite the afternoon on Wednesday, Apr. 24, excelling both at the plate and on the rubber in the Lions' 11-0 and 5-4 victories over Valley Forge Christian.
It was apparent that something special was brewing when the sophomore captain led off the first game of the doubleheader with a home run. It was the first of her 11 RBIs on the day.
Freshman Rachel Fisher (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) followed up Wolfe's solo shot by doubling. The next batter, sophomore Erika Love (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East), plated her with a double of her own. Senior Danielle Ringel (McKees Rock, Pa. / Sto-Rox) picked up an RBI thanks to her single that scored Love. Freshman Jennifer Bear (Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest) drove in Ringel with a single and Wolfe reached base for the second time in the inning on an error. Two runners in senior Katherine Bernardi (Fredericksburg, Pa. / Northern Lebanon) and Bear scored on the play. Fisher's second at bat of the stanza produced another run when she singled, scoring junior Brittany Wesoloskie (Philadelphia, Pa. / Franklin Learning Center) and giving the Blue & White 7-0 lead.
Wolfe mowed down Patriot batters and retired 12 straight before helping her own cause in the top of the fifth inning. Bernardi reached base on an error and freshman Jasmine Yanich moved her along with a single (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township). Wesoloskie walked and the stage was set for Wolfe.
She was grand.
Wolfe homered for the second time in three at bats, clearing the bases and giving the Lions an 11-0 advantage they would have no trouble of keeping. She also had a perfect game working through 4.1 innings and finished by hurling five innings and surrendering just two hits while striking out seven batters.
Fisher, Love and Wolfe each went 2-4 at the plate with Fisher and Love adding an RBI and scoring run. Wolfe, Bernardi and Wesoloskie scored two runs apiece.
The second go-around saw the Lions fight back and complete the doubleheader sweep in come-from-behind fashion.
The Blue & White tallied its first run of the finale when Wolfe hit into a fielder's choice and plated Bernardi in the top of the second inning. Wolfe stretched Harrisburg's advantage to 2-0 when she homered for the third time on the day in the top of the fourth stanza.
Valley Forge Christian finally got on the board in the home half of the fourth when the Patriots used three hits and two errors to score four unearned runs and take the lead for the first time all afternoon.
The Lions tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the next stanza when freshman Rieley Loch (Madison Township, Pa. / North Pocono) plated on a wild pitch and Bear's RBI single drove in Love two batters later.
The scored remained knotted at 4-apiece until Bernardi led off the top of the seventh innings by hitting her first home run of the year. Her solo homer gave the Lions a slim advantage that they held onto in the bottom of the seventh.
Wolfe went all seven innings inside the circle in game number two and gave up just six hits and two walks to go along with her four strikeouts. No runs surrendered were earned.
Bernardi was 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored while Love was 2-4 with a run scored. Yanich was 2-4 while Bear was 2-2 with an RBI.
The pair of non-conference wins improved Penn State Harrisburg to 15-21 on the season. The victories came in the Blue & White's last non-conference outings of the season. The team's 2013 home finale comes this Saturday, Apr. 27 when the Lions host North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) rival Penn State Abington before wrapping up their season with a doubleheader road trip at Wilson the very next day.