The Penn State Behrend softball team dropped a 6-1 decision to the University of Rochester in the first game of the NCAA Division III Softball Regional on Friday afternoon.
The Yellowjackets scored five early runs and held on to defeat the Lions. Rochester only gave up four hits, thanks to starter Hannah Leahy. Leahy got her 15th win and struck out six, while Emily Sharlach earned her fourth save of the season.
Kayla Lindberg is the pitcher of record for Behrend, falling to 8-4. The Yellowjackets scored three runs in the second and two more in the third for a 5-0 lead. A single homer by Alizah Ayon in the sixth put Rochester ahead by six. The Lions fought until the end, getting two hits in the seventh. Behrend loaded the bases with two outs and got on the scoreboard with a Marissa Torretti single up the middle to score Ashleigh Schmidt.
This was the third time that Rochester faced Behrend in the NCAAs (2008 and 2016). Leahy is the first Rochester pitcher in seven years to win at least 15 games in a season.
The Lions will play in an elimination game tomorrow against St. John Fisher. Game time is 10 a.m.