ALTOONA, Pa. - The Penn State Altoona softball team hosted senior day on Tuesday afternoon at Stewart Athletic Field, where the Lions swept Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference rival Mount Aloysius College with scores of 2-0 and 5-3. 

Penn State Altoona (22-14, 12-4 AMCC) staged a late rally to win the first game of the doubleheader 2-0. Mount Aloysius (13-21, 8-8 AMCC) started out the second game on top, but the Lions came back to complete the sweep, winning the second game 5-3. 

Between games, Penn State Altoona recognized senior Karli Storm (Chest Springs, PA/Cambria Heights). The team also honored sophomore Madison Kennedy (Williamsburg, PA/Central), who will be continuing her major at University Park next year.  

Game One: Penn State Altoona 2, Mount Aloysius 0 

In the first game, both outfields came up with plays to keep the score at 0-0 for the first five innings. Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Penn State Altoona took advantage of their opportunities to put two runs on the board.  

Riley Best (Coalport, PA/Glendale) hit 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI. With the RBI on her solo home run in the sixth, Best set a new Penn State Altoona softball single season record for RBI. She finished the game with 53 RBI this spring, passing the previous record of 52, which was set by former Lion standout Kelly Chambers in the 2015 season. 

Senior Storm had a sacrifice fly and an RBI. Gracie Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona) went 1-for-3 with one run scored and one steal. With the steal, Wilt tied the team's single-season stolen base record, swiping her 19th bag of the year. The record was set in 2018 when former Lion Haley Giedroc stole 19 bases. 

Lauren Davidson (Clearfield, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) and Kendal Wadsworth (Johnstown, PA/Richland) had 1-for-2 games at the plate.  

In the circle, Josselyn Nau (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) pitched a complete game and recorded her 10th win of the season, yielding zero runs and only three hits in seven innings. Nau needed only 58 pitches to make it though seven shutout innings.

It wouldn't be until the bottom of the sixth inning that things started happening for the Lions. Wilt singled before stealing second and reaching third on a throwing error by the Mounties. Storm then made the sacrifice play, bunting the ball so Wilt could reach home. The next batter up, Best, hit a home run, her third of the season, to make it 2-0.  

The Lions were able to keep the Mounties from getting any runs in the seventh inning, winning the first game by two runs.  

Game Two: Penn State Altoona 5, Mount Aloysius 3 

Much like the first game, the second game saw a flurry of hits and runs in the sixth inning. Mount Aloysius put up one run in the top of the second inning and two runs in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 3-0. The Lions responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a crucial six-hit, five-run inning to put themselves on top 5-3.  

Audrey Walker (Mill Hall, PA/Central Mountain) went 2-for-3 to lead the Lion bats. Walker also had an RBI, a steal, and a run scored. Wadsworth went 1-for-3 in hits with a double and two RBI. Madison Kennedy (Williamsburg, PA/Central) hit 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Storm hit 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.  

Kennedy tossed a complete game in the pitching circle, getting her eighth win of the season. In the win, Kennedy held the Mounties to seven hits and three runs while striking out two batters. 

A sacrifice fly from Aislinn Myers led to Greysyn Gable scoring the first run of the game in the top of the second, making it 1-0 in favor of Mount Aloysius.  

Things were scoreless for the next three innings until the top of the sixth, when Ava Doyle stole home to make it 2-0. Sarah Henninger scored off an Alysha Cutri single to increase the Mounties' lead to three.  

Down 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Lions put up a solid hitting performance to make the comeback. After hitting a double, Storm ran home following a single from Kennedy. The next batter, Allison Beeman (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone), singled to first base, while Best scored. A bunt from Walker enabled Kennedy to run home and tie the game at three runs apiece. Walker and Davidson both scored off a double from Wadsworth, giving the Lions a two-run lead.  

Kennedy struck out two batters in the top of the seventh inning as the Lions held on for the 5-3 senior day victory.  

With the two wins, Penn State Altoona clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming AMCC Tournament. They will compete in the AMCC playoffs, which start Wednesday, May 6, and run through Saturday, May 9, in DuBois.