CHESTER, Pa. -- Widener posted an 8-0 shutout in game one and held off a late Penn State Brandywine charge to take game two, 10-6, claiming both ends of a non-conference softball doubleheader on Tuesday.
Brandywine (15-11, 13-1 PSUAC) was limited to four hits, all singles, in game one by Pride pitchers Alexis Schengrund and Katie Rabuck. Schengrund earned her second win after striking out eight in 5.0 innings. Grace DeRosa (Glenside, Pa./Cheltenham) took the loss for Brandywine as she surrendered eight runs and struck out three in 5.1 innings.
Taylor Allen gave Widener a 4-0 lead with a second-inning grand slam, while Katie Sterling's second hit of the game scored two runs to help the Pride end the game after six innings.
Widener opened up a 4-0 edge again in game two, but Brandywine battled back to within one during the fifth inning. With two outs and two runners on base, Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) blooped a single into center that scored Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City). Two batters later, Maura Moser (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) added a two-run single making the score 4-3.
However, the Pride sent 12 batters to the plate during their half of the fifth inning to open up a 10-3 lead.
Alexa Cervella (Drexel Hill, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) got another Lions' rally started with a pinch-hit single in the sixth. After an error and a base hit from Julia Allman (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown), another Pride miscue allowed DeRosa, who was pinch running, to score. Anderson followed with a RBI single and Julie Foeldes (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) worked a bases-loaded walk to force in a third run; however, Pride reliever Ally Horvath retired the final two batters with the bases loaded to halt the rally.
Horvath earned the win for the Pride, while Moser suffered her third loss for Brandywine. She fanned one and allowed eight earned runs in 4-plus innings.
Segich recorded two hits in game two, giving her three total for the day, while Anderson and Megan Crisafulli (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) also registered two-hit efforts during the nightcap.
Brandywine is back at home Thursday for a doubleheader against Franklin & Marshall beginning at 3:00 pm.
