Lions Earn Split in Home Opener
ALTOONA, Pa. – Penn State Altoona softball hosted its first games of the season at Stewart Athletic Field on Tuesday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with visiting Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent Pitt-Greensburg.
The Bobcats (4-14, 1-3 AMCC) eked out a 3-0 win in game one, but Penn State Altoona (13-11, 3-1 AMCC) bounced back with an 8-2 victory in game two.
Game One: Pitt-Greensburg 3, Penn State Altoona 0
Pitt-Greensburg stepped out to a lead with a run in the top of the first, and the Bobcats tallied two more runs in the fifth. Meanwhile, Penn State Altoona struggled to get the bats going and was unable to fight back in the low-scoring affair.
Allison Beeman (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) had three of the Lions' six hits, going 3-for-3 at the plate. Madison Kennedy (Williamsburg, PA/Central) was 2-for-3, and Lauren Davidson (Clearfield, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) had the home team's other hit.
Josselyn Nau (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) tossed a complete game in the circle but suffered the loss. The right-hander scattered 11 hits, walked none, and limited the Bobcats to three runs while recording one strikeout.
Pitt-Greensburg made it 1-0 in the top of the first on Mia Dalessandro's RBI single to center. The visitors nursed their slim lead until the fifth, when Jessica Dunn's two-out, two-run double to left added some insurance for the Bobcats.
Penn State Altoona made a little noise in the bottom of the seventh, when hits by Kennedy and Beeman brought the potential tying run to the plate for the Lions with one out. But Pitt-Greensburg closed the game with a strikeout and a groundout to seal the victory.
Game Two: Penn State Altoona 8, Pitt-Greensburg 2
The Lions overcame a 2-1 deficit in the fifth, scoring seven unanswered runs to finish the game and salvage a victory.
Five Lions had a multi-hit game. Karli Storm (Chest Springs, PA/Cambria Heights) was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base. Riley Best (Coalport, PA/Glendale) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, one RBI, and one walk. Beeman also hit 2-for-3 with a walk, and Haleigh Peters (Lock Haven, PA/Central Mountain) went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Davidson finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Alexa Baney (Snow Shoe, PA/Bald Eagle), Gracie Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona), and Kennedy also finished with one hit apiece for the Lions.
In the circle, Best took the ball for game two and came away with a no-decision after pitching four strong innings, allowing no earned runs on two hits and two walks. Kennedy secured the win in relief, her fourth of the season, after tossing three scoreless frames and giving up only two hits and a walk.
Pitt-Greensburg went up 1-0 in the top of the third, when Jessica Dunn's fielder's choice drew in a run for the Bobcats.
But Penn State Altoona responded in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score. With two outs, Wilt reached on an infield single before Baney's hit down the left-field line put two aboard for the Lions. Wilt stole third base, then scored on Storm's RBI single to right.
Pitt-Greensburg came back with another run in the top of the fourth, when a two-out throwing error allowed Sadie Kelly to score from third and put the Bobcats back in front, 2-1.
The visitors nursed their tight lead until the bottom of the fifth, when Penn State Altoona awoke for five runs. Peters led off the frame with an infield single to the pitcher, and she later scored on Storm's sacrifice fly to right, tying the game at 2-2. Kennedy followed with an RBI single to right that put the Lions on top, and Davidson's RBI base hit to right center made it 4-2. One batter later, with the bases loaded, Kendal Wadsworth (Johnstown, PA/Richland) drew a walk to score Best, and Peters' infield hit to shortstop plated Davidson to make it 6-2.
The Lions tacked two more runs onto their total in the sixth. With two outs and Storm at second base following her one-out double, Best singled through the left side to bring in Storm and make it 7-2. Best moved to second base on a throwing error during the play, and she scored on Davidson's RBI single down the left-field line to increase the home team's advantage to 8-2.
Penn State Altoona softball is back at home this Saturday, April 4, for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against AMCC opponent Alfred State College.
