Posted: May 10, 2017
No. 6 Penn State Altoona softball earned a 5-1 victory over No. 3 Alvernia University in the opening game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Championship Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at Marywood University.
With the win, the Lady Lions (18-17) will advance to the next round of the tournament and are guaranteed at least two more games, as the bracket goes into double-elimination format. The next round is hosted by Arcadia University this Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14.
Penn State Altoona will take on either No. 2 Stockton University or No. 7 College of New Rochelle on Saturdayat 1:00 p.m. The Lady Lions will play again later that day, regardless of a win or a loss.
Senior pitcher Kate Burge led her team to a win on Wednesday with a big start in the circle, improving her season record to 16-8 in a complete game effort. In seven innings, she surrendered just five hits, one run, and one walk while striking out six.
Sophomore OF/C Kelsey Bristol batted 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Sophomore SS Haley Giedroc and freshman INF Abby Showers were each 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Penn State Altoona grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Bristol led off with a single to second base, moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a throwing error.
The Lady Lions added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning, putting four more runs on the board. Junio OF Lauren O'Donnell led off the inning with a bunt single and later came around to score on an error. Later, Burge helped her own cause by drawing a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0. An RBI single from freshman C Jessica Willits and a run-scoring groundout by sophomore 1B Morgan Brumbaugh upped Penn State Altoona's lead to 5-0.
Alvernia (19-16) made some noise in the bottom of the seventh, breaking up the shutout and threatening a comeback. Bernadette Carey's RBI single to second put the Crusaders on the board. Alvernia proceeded to load the bases with one out, but Burge induced a lineout double play to end the game.
With the win, the Lady Lions (18-17) will advance to the next round of the tournament and are guaranteed at least two more games, as the bracket goes into double-elimination format. The next round is hosted by Arcadia University this Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14.
Penn State Altoona will take on either No. 2 Stockton University or No. 7 College of New Rochelle on Saturdayat 1:00 p.m. The Lady Lions will play again later that day, regardless of a win or a loss.
Senior pitcher Kate Burge led her team to a win on Wednesday with a big start in the circle, improving her season record to 16-8 in a complete game effort. In seven innings, she surrendered just five hits, one run, and one walk while striking out six.
Sophomore OF/C Kelsey Bristol batted 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Sophomore SS Haley Giedroc and freshman INF Abby Showers were each 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Penn State Altoona grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Bristol led off with a single to second base, moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a throwing error.
The Lady Lions added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning, putting four more runs on the board. Junio OF Lauren O'Donnell led off the inning with a bunt single and later came around to score on an error. Later, Burge helped her own cause by drawing a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0. An RBI single from freshman C Jessica Willits and a run-scoring groundout by sophomore 1B Morgan Brumbaugh upped Penn State Altoona's lead to 5-0.
Alvernia (19-16) made some noise in the bottom of the seventh, breaking up the shutout and threatening a comeback. Bernadette Carey's RBI single to second put the Crusaders on the board. Alvernia proceeded to load the bases with one out, but Burge induced a lineout double play to end the game.