Alexa Anderson
Alexa Anderson

Anderson Delivers Game Winner For Brandywine

AKRON, Ohio – Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) laced a walk off single through the left side of the infield, plating Julia Allman (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) with the game-winning run during the bottom of the seventh inning, as the fifth-seeded Penn State Brandywine softball team staved off elimination at the USCAA World Series with a 3-2 triumph over No. 7 Judson College (Alabama) on Tuesday night.

The Lions (23-14) will need to win twice on Wednesday to advance to Thursday's national title game. First up for Brandywine, which finished fourth at the 2016 USCAA World Series, is No. 3 Carlow with first pitch slated for 4:00 pm.

Allman got the seventh-inning rally started with a one-out single to center field. After Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) worked a four-pitch walk, Anderson sent a single between the Eagles' infielders, through the left side, allowing Allman to score from second base.

Anderson was one-of-three Lions to record two hits against Judson pitcher Sarah Lippeatt. Julie Foeldes (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) upped her tournament batting average to .600 with a pair of knocks, while Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) also collected two hits. Segich's bunt single during the bottom of the fifth inning was the 100th of her career as she joined Allman as the only two members of Brandywine's 100-hit club.

Grace DeRosa (Glenside, Pa./Cheltenham) went all seven innings to earn her second victory of the tournament and 10th overall. After throwing a no-hitter Monday, DeRosa held Judson without a hit through 2.1 innings and limited the Eagles to six knocks overall, while striking out eight. One of the two runs she surrendered was unearned after a Brandywine error allowed Judson to tie the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in the sixth.

The Lions also used an error to get on the board, claiming a 1-0 edge when Segich scored from second via an Eagle miscue in the third.

Judson scored the game-tying run three frames later, but Brandywine answered immediately during the bottom of the sixth. Anderson clubbed a double into the right-center field gap and moved to third on Foeldes' base hit. Three batters later, Velez recorded a sacrifice fly that was deep enough to score Anderson with the go-ahead run.

Down to its final out in the seventh, Judson again rallied to tie the score when Katie Speer crossed home following a wild pitch.

Brandywine will now face a Carlow team that also owns two victories in three games at the USCAA World Series. The Celtics, who defeated Brandywine in the national tournament last season, advanced after topping SUNY Canton 4-2 earlier Tuesday.