Anderson Hits For Cycle In World Series Victory Over Beaver

DUBOIS, Pa. – Sophomore first baseman Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) made history Tuesday morning, becoming the first Penn State Brandywine softball player to hit for the cycle, while leading the fifth-seeded Lions to a 15-7 victory over No. 10 Penn State Beaver at the USCAA World Series.

Anderson accomplished the feat in four at-bats, pacing a 12-hit attack from the Brandywine offense against four Beaver pitchers. She got her day started with a first-inning single and then added an inside-the-park grand slam, her second home run at the tournament, during the second inning. Anderson smashed the slam off the right-center field wall and the ball bounded away from the Beaver outfielders long enough for Anderson to circle the bases with her team-high ninth home run of the season.

One inning later, Anderson again came to the plate with the bases loaded and this time she delivered a three-run triple to left field. She completed her cycle by sending a double down the left field line in the sixth inning.

Anderson also set a USCAA World Series record with seven RBI, while scoring four runs.

Rachel Cherubini (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) and Katy Steffen (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) both added two hits and Steffen drove in four runs. All nine Lions reached base at least once.

Steffen got the scoring started in the first inning with a long three-run home run after Cherubini and Anderson had started the rally with back-to-back singles. After Anderson's grand slam, Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) upped the lead to 9-0 with an RBI single.

Beaver got the deficit as close as 13-7, but Brandywine plated two runs in the sixth, the final score coming on a run-scoring base hit from Haley Grossi (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick) to end the game after six innings.

Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) upper her record to 21-6 this spring and earned the 40^th victory of her career. She struck out one over six innings of work.

With the victory, Brandywine set a new single-season wins record with its 26^th triumph of the season, while remaining in contention for a USCAA championship. Brandywine knocked Beaver out of the tournament for the second time in the last three seasons.

Brandywine (26-9-1) will play its second game of the day at 8:00 PM against Robert Morris University-Springfield.