Newport News, Va. - Penn State Harrisburg softball was in action Sunday April 12th against the Captains of Christopher Newport. This was the second double header in two days for the Lady Lions who were looking for a great team win to top off a tough weekend road trip.
The Captains got off to a hot start scoring four runs in the second inning. The Lady Lions responded by digging in a playing tough defense, not allowing any runs for the next three innings. Eventually Newport put up two more runs in the top of the sixth. Harrisburg played hard but the slow start seemed to linger throughout the game as they were only able to get two hits in the first game. Newport won the first game 6-0.
Penn State Harrisburg bounced back in the second game. Unlike the slow start in the first game the Lions came out swinging. Gabrielle Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge) started things off when she hit a single to left field to give Harrisburg the much needed momentum boost. Rieley Loch (Madison Township, Pa. / North Pocono) proved she was up for the challenge with a homerun to give Harrisburg a 2-0 lead of the Captains early in the game.
CNU answered quickly by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first making the score 4-2. The Lady Lions nearly took a two run lead in the third thanks to Erelle Sowers (Harleysville, Pa. / Souderton Area) who was robbed by the Newport center fielder at the wall to stop a grand slam and the Lions from taking a two run lead.
The Captains then added another two runs in the bottom third making the score 6-2. This would eventually be the outcome of the game as the Blue and White were unable to mount a comeback. When asked about today's games coach Tonya Dengler said "Even though they lost both today. They turned a corner mentally. We are seeing our old team back which is what was missing the past five games."
Softball will travel on Tuesday April, 14th for a double header at Alvernia.