Katie Steffen
Katie Steffen

Steffen Homers Twice In Lions’ Sweep Of St. Joseph

ASTON, Pa. -- Katy Steffen (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) hit a home run in both games of Penn State Brandywine's softball doubleheader sweep as the Lions posted victories by scores of 10-2 and 9-0, winning both games by run rule in five innings, over the College of St. Joseph (Vt.) on Friday afternoon.

Overall on the day, Steffen went 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored, while Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) and Rachel Cherubini (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) both added three hits. Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) stole five bases and scored four times.

Brandywine took a 4-0 lead after the first inning of game one. Segich walked to lead off and, after stealing second and third, scored on a wild pitch for the first run. Cherubini also worked a base on balls and came around to score via a throwing error, while Haley Grossi (Monmouth, N.J./South Brunswick) added an RBI double and Velez plated a run with a single.

Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) tacked on a run-scoring single in the second before Brandywine put the game away with five more scores two frames later. Cherubini slashed a double down the left field line that scored Segich and Steffen clubbed her first home run of the day, a two-run shot, over the left field fence.

The Lions again opened up a 4-0 edge after one inning during the nightcap. Segich started the inning with a bunt single and scored on a St. Joseph error. Four batters later, Julie Foeldes (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) laced a two-run double into left-center field, plating Steffen and Anderson, before crossing home herself following another Saint miscue.

One frame later, Cherubini drove in Segich with a double and then came around to score on a wild pitch. Steffen added her second home run of the day, a long, solo shot to left field, making the score 7-0. The Lions upped the lead to nine runs in the fourth when Cherubini collected her second run-scoring double of the game and Foeldes reached on a fielder's choice that plated Cherubini.

Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) went all 10 innings in the circle to earn the win in both games, upping her record to 4-4 this spring. She fired a two-hit shutout, her second of the season, in game two, while allowing just two runs on five hits in the opener. Overall, she tallied 10 strikeouts, collecting five in each victory.

Brandywine (4-4) begins conference play Thursday at Maple Zone against Penn State Schuylkill (3:30 pm).