Softball Drops First Myrtle Games
LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – The Penn State Altoona softball team began its week of competing in the Myrtle Beach-area Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Saturday, going up against a pair of NAIA opponents at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex.
Penn State Altoona (1-3) lost 3-0 to Columbia College to start its day, then suffered a 13-0 defeat at the hands of the University of Pikeville in game two.
Game One: Columbia 3, Penn State Altoona 0
The Koalas (12-8) scored the game's first runs with two in the bottom of the third, then added one more to their total in the sixth. The Lions were held scoreless on five hits.
Josselyn Nau (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) got the game-one nod at pitcher and was saddled with the loss in a complete-game effort, going six innings and striking out a pair along the way.
Riley Best (Coalport, PA/Glendale) was 2-for-3 at the plate, while Alexa Baney (Snow Shoe, PA/Bald Eagle), Karli Storm (Chest Springs, PA/Cambria Heights), and Gracie Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona) also had one hit apiece.
Columbia made it 2-0 in the third on an RBI double from Krislyn Wilder and an RBI single from Ashlynn Wolff. The Koalas added an insurance run in the sixth, when Wilder came home on a Joni Littlejohn sacrifice.
Game Two: Pikeville 13, Penn State Altoona 0
The Bears (4-5) staked out a three-run lead in the first inning, then widened the gap with a nine-run third. Pikeville put another run on the board in the fourth and went on to defeat Penn State Altoona in a five-inning run rule game.
Madison Kennedy (Williamsburg, PA/Central) started in the pitching circle and took the loss after going 2 1/3 innings, while Kendal Wadsworth (Johnstown, PA/Richland) finished the game off with 1 2/3 innings pitched.
Kara Lansberry (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg Community) led the Lion bats with two hits. Gracie Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona) had a hit and a stolen base, and Kennedy also had a hit.
Pikesville went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from Maddie Horn and Harlee Quick, as well as a run-scoring double by Kasey Lois. The Bears broke the game open with nine in the third, and a passed ball brought in their 13th run in the fourth.
Penn State Altoona softball gets back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 8, starting with a 10 a.m. game against Keystone College. After that, the Lions finish the day against New Jersey City University at 12 p.m.