Brandywine Bats Too Much For Eastern

ASTON, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine collected 21 runs on 29 hits as the Lions won both ends of a home softball doubleheader against Eastern University on Tuesday afternoon. Brandywine claimed the opener 10-1 and won the nightcap 11-5.

Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) led the Brandywine hit parade with six hits in seven at-bats, along with eight runs batted in and five runs scored.

Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) collected five hits and stole four bases, while Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) went 3-for-3 in game one and totaled four hits overall. Rachel Cherubini (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) extended her hitting streak to 14 games with a knock in each game.

In game two, Katy Steffen (Dowingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) was 3-for-3 at the plate, while Julie Foeldes (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) and Ashley Dotey (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) both tallied two hits. Foeldes also drove in three runs.

Eastern was on the board in game one after a leadoff home run, but Brandywine answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. Segich reached on a single to lead off, stole two bases, and scored on a Cherubini base hit.

Brandywine, which scored in every inning, broke the game open in the second, plating six runs. Segich singled in the first score, and after Cherubini walked with the bases loaded, Anderson delivered the inning's big hit, clearing the bases with her first of two triples on the day.

Maddie Malfara (Ardsley, Pa./Abington) launched her first collegiate home run over the right field fence in the third inning to give her a multi-hit effort, while a Velez base hit that scored Cherubini capped the scoring one frame later.

Brandywine jumped on Eastern early in game one, using an RBI single from Anderson and two-run double by Foeldes to build a three-run margin. Anderson added a two-run triple and Steffen smashed an RBI double, while Foeldes hit the center field wall, singling in Steffen, during a five-run fourth inning that extended the lead to 8-0.

The Eagles pushed five runs across during the top of the fifth inning, but Brandywine added three insurance runs during the bottom of the frame. Cherubini recorded a run-scoring single, while Anderson completed her six-hit day with her first home run of the year the opposite way for a two-run blast.

Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) was the winning pitcher in both games, extending her win total to 11 this spring. She struck out four and limited Eastern to one earned run on four hits in 5.0 innings during game one and then fanned a pair of batters in 7.0 innings of game two.

Brandywine (11-6-1, 4-2 PSUAC) opens up a four-game series against Penn State York on Thursday at 3:00 PM at Maple Zone.