Brandywine Opens Conference Slate With Sweep

ASTON, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine got Penn State University Athletic Conference play started by sweeping a softball doubleheader from Penn State Schuylkill on Friday, winning by scores of 9-3 and 8-2 at Maple Zone.

Game One: Penn State Brandywine 9, Penn State Schuylkill 3

Brandywine scored eight times during the first three innings to take control of the game. The Lions produced 12 hits, including three each from Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) and Alexandra Szpindor (Pottstown, Pa./Pope John Paul II). Segich also stole two bases, while Rachel Cherubini (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) drove in three runs.

Segich walked to lead off the first inning, stole second and third, and scored on a Cherubini groundout to open the scoring. Four batters later, Maddie Malfara (Ardsley, Pa./Abington) delivered a two-out single that plated Szpindor. Cara Fabiano (Bristol, Pa./Bristol) followed with a run-scoring base hit that pushed Morgan Meoli (Woolwich Twp., N.J./Kingsway Regional) across the plate.

Schuylkill plated two runs in the second, but Brandywine quickly got a run back during the bottom of the frame when Segich singled and later scored on a wild pitch. The Lions tacked on four more runs as Cherubini singled in two, Nikki Velez (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) added a RBI base hit and Meoli scored on an error.

An RBI single from Segich completed the scoring for the Lions in the fifth.

Fabiano pitched four innings in relief of Szpindor, limiting Schuylkill to one run on three hits, while striking out five to earn the win. Szpindor went the first three innings, fanning two and yielding two unearned runs.

Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 8, Penn State Schuylkill 2

Brandywine pounded out 12 more hits in game two with Segich adding four more to her total to give her seven knocks on the day. Malfara and Alyssa Sullivan (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) both went 3-for-4, while Szpindor and Sullivan both scored two runs.

Sullivan's first inning RBI single quickly gave the Lions the lead. Two frames later, Malfara blasted a two-run home run through the wind and over the center field fence to up the margin to 3-0. She added an RBI single during a two-run fourth inning, giving the Lions their three-run lead back after Schuylkill plated two in the top of the frame.

Segich stole home in the fifth inning, her sixth stolen base of the day, while Meoli drove in a run with a ground out and Cherubini scored on an error to complete the Lions' scoring.

Fabiano claimed her second victory of the day after holding Schuylkill to one earned run in five innings. She struck out two, while Taylor Baron (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown East) fired two scoreless innings in relief of Fabiano.

Brandywine's (3-9, 2-0 PSUAC) scheduled doubleheader at Schuylkill has been postponed from Saturday to March 30, meaning the Lions will next be in action at King's on Tuesday beginning at 2:00 pm.