Middletown, Pa. – With playoff hopes still alive for the Penn State Harrisburg softball team, every win is vital. With this thought in mind, the Blue and White welcomed Albright to town Saturday April 25th for a double header. The Lions were able to take one of two as they continue their playoff push.
Saturday's double-header was also Senior Day for Harrisburg. The Lions honored five seniors prior to the games. Mackenzie Trafka (Middletown Pa. / Middletown Area), Keriann Saich (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey), Gabrielle Wolfe (New Milford, Pa. / Blue Ridge), Erika Love (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East), and team manager Ian Dickinson (Allentown, Pa. / Dieruff) were sent off by head coach Tonya Dengler prior to first pitch.
In game one, Wolfe hit the mound and pitched an outstanding game in her final home game. Both teams struggled to breach the defensive armor of their opposition for the first three innings of play. Albright finally broke through in the top of the fourth when they were able to put one run on the board and take the lead. The Blue and White exploded in the bottom of the sixth inning for three runs including a two-run double by Amanda Hartman (Reading Pa. / Oley Valley). The Blue and White held on in the seventh to claim game one 3-1.
The Lions carried this momentum into game two where they were able to get on the board first bringing home one run in the second off an Albright error that allowed Jackie Furch (Hallstead, Pa. / Blue Ridge) to advance home. The visitors rallied in the fourth with a four run outburst to take the lead. Harrisburg was unable to muster up any sort of late game heroics like game one and dropped game two 4-1.
Penn State Harrisburg will continue their playoff push Sunday April 26th as they travel to Stevenson University to take on the Mustangs in a double-header scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.