Softball Closes Season With Triumph In USCAA Ninth-Place Game

AKRON, Ohio – Penn State Brandywine ended its season on a high note as the Lions trumped conference rival Penn State Schuylkill 13-11 in the ninth-place game of the USCAA Softball World Series on Tuesday afternoon.

The victory gave the Lions 23 victories for the season, the highest total in the short history of the program. Brandywine, which made its first World Series appearance, posted a perfect 18-0 record against teams from the PSUAC this spring and won its first league crown.

The Lions started quickly as their first six batters all reached base and scored, giving Brandywine a 6-1 lead after one frame. Katy Steffen (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) delivered a three-run home run, while Jen Patterson (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) drove in two with a base hit to highlight the scoring.

Schuylkill closed the gap to 6-4 before Brandywine answered with a three-run third inning. Steffen and Danielle Spina (Thornton, Pa./Garnet Valley) both knocked in runs with base hits, while Lindsey Dellavecchio (Ridley Park, Pa./Interboro) crossed home following a Schuylkill error.

Dellavecchio drilled a leadoff home run over the right-center field fence to open the fifth inning. Spina then plated Julia Allman (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) with a sacrifice fly after Allman tripled, extending Brandywine's lead to 11-5.

Schuylkill closed within two runs by scoring four times in the sixth, but Brandywine had an answer yet again, adding two runs during the bottom of the frame. Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) doubled in Cheyenne Murphy (Boothwyn, Pa./Chichester) and then scored the second run by stealing home.

Steffen led the Lions' offensive attack with a 3-for-4 day at the plate and four runs batted in, while DeStefano was 3-for-3 and added an RBI and run scored. Steffen's 51 RBI are the second-highest total nationally this spring.

Allman and Dellavecchio both crossed home three times and Patterson and Spina each knocked in a pair of runs. Dellavecchio ended the season riding an eight-game hitting streak, including five hits in eight at-bats during three games at the World Series.

Spina pitched all seven innings, striking out two, to earn the victory. She ended her season and collegiate career with a 13-3 record, giving her the highest single-season win total during the team's two years as a varsity program.