READING, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's softball team split a conference doubleheader with United East rival Penn State Berks on Friday afternoon, April 29. The Lions fell by the slimmest of margins in the opener before shaking off the 7-6 loss and bouncing back with a 12-6 victory in game two.

GAME 1

Despite a late comeback attempt, Penn State Harrisburg (24-11, 18-5 United East) came up just short in a 7-6 loss to Penn State Berks (24-8, 21-4 United East) in the first game of a conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon.

Madelyn Lehigh and Steph Reider each went 3-for-4 in the opener, with Lehigh scoring a game-high three runs. Madelyn Krantz added a triple and an RBI, while McKenzie Boozel, Madeline English, Olivia Herncane, and Emma Einarson drove in one run each.

Penn State Harrisburg struck first when English's two-out single to shortstop drove in Lehigh to put the visitors out in front in the top of the opening frame but Penn State Berks broke through in the bottom of the second, scoring four runs on five hits.

The Blue & White cut the deficit to two in the top of the third thanks to Boozel's sacrifice fly to right field that scored Lehigh for the second time. Krantz's fourth-inning triple couldn't have come at a better time, as her two-out extra-base knock drove in Rylee Tineri to draw the visitors to within one run.

Another extra-base hit tied it up in the fifth, with Einarson's two-out double to left center field driving in pinch runner Alexus Brown from second base but it was a three-run home run by Penn State Berks' Arizona Schreck in the bottom of the sixth that proved the difference, as Penn State Harrisburg used four hits and an error to draw to within one before the home team held on for the narrow win.

GAME 2

After suffering a tight loss in game one, Penn State Harrisburg (25-11, 19-5 United East) responded with a convincing 12-6 victory over Penn State Berks (24-9, 21-5 United East) in the nightcap of a conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon.

Olivia Herncane went 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Madelyn Krantz, Madelyn Lehigh, McKenzie Boozel, and Krysten Moore also had multi-hit outings. Mary-Kate Penczkowski won her seventh game of the year inside the circle, striking out four in the process.

After nearly plating a run in the top of the first, the Lions erupted for five in the top of the second stanza, as Moore's RBI single up the middle got the scoring started before Krantz drove in two more with a triple to right center. Lehigh followed it up with an RBI base knock and Reider's sacrifice fly added another run.

The home team cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs to draw to within striking distance but Penn State Harrisburg put up another crooked number in the top of the sixth, using six hits and a pair of Penn State Berks errors to tack on six more.

The Lions capped their scoring when Delaney Nevius' sacrifice fly plated Boozel in the top of the seventh. The home team scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh but the comeback effort proved far too little too late.

NOTABLES

- Maddy Lehigh was 3-for-4 with a game-high three runs scored in the opener.

- Steph Reider also went 3-for-4 in game one.  

- Madeline English finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the first outing.

- Maddie Krantz, McKenzie Boozel, Olivia Herncane, and Emma Einarson all drove in runs in the first contest.

- Mary-Kate Penczkowski struck out four batters en route to earning her seventh win of the season inside the circle in game two.

- Herncane went 4-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI in game two.

- Krantz went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and a run scored in the nightcap.

- Lehigh, Boozel, and Moore also had multi-hit second contests.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions wrap up the regular season with another conference doubleheader at Penn State Abington on Saturday afternoon, April 30.

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