Katie DeStefano
Katie DeStefano

Brandywine Falls In Final Florida Matchups

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Penn State Brandywine softball team was defeated by Catholic University and Saint Vincent College (Pa.) on Wednesday during its last two contests at the PFX Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. Catholic claimed the first game 6-3, while the Bearcats prevailed during game 2 with a 14-5, six-inning triumph.

Brandywine pieced together four singles during the first inning against Catholic, plating the first three runs of the game, the Lions would be held off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

Megan Collins blasted a solo home run in the second for the Catholic and the Cardinals, aided by two Brandywine errors, pushed four runs across in the third to take the lead for good.

Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) reached base during all four at-bats, recording a pair of singles and working two walks, while Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in a run. Grace DeRosa (Glenside, Pa./Cheltenham) went all seven innings in the circle as she struck out one and surrendered six runs (two earned) on five hits.

Saint Vincent opened up a 6-0 through three innings of game two before the Lions rallied with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Maura Moser (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) crossed home with the first run via a Bearcat error, while Stephanie Harvey (Berlin, N.J./Northern Regional) and Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) both provided RBI singles in the fourth.

Velez added a second run-scoring base hit one frame later and Brittany Sroga (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection College Prep) drove in a run with a groundout to make the score 7-5 after five innings; however, Saint Vincent answered with seven runs on six hits during the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the win.

In addition to her two hits and pair of runs batted in, Velez also stole two bases, while Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford), DeStefano and Harvey also delivered multi-hit performances.

Brandywine (2-6) visits the University of Valley Forge on Thursday, March 16 at 5:00 pm.