Brandywine Claims PSUAC Battle With Hazleton

MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine softball team swept at Penn State University Athletic Conference doubleheader from rival Penn State Hazleton, winning by scores of 6-1 and 12-2 (5 innings) on Wednesday afternoon at Maple Zone. With the victories, Brandywine has clinched a top-two seed in the PSUAC Tournament and will host the first round of games April 29-30.

Game One: Penn State Brandywine 6, Penn State Hazleton 1

Brandywine broke open a one-run game with five runs during the final two innings to claim the opener.

Lianna DeDios (Elmwood Park, N.J./Memorial) went 4-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Lions' 13-hit attack at the plate. Meghan Ferry (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City), Payton Landis (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) and Crystal Cassario (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) all totaled two hits.

Cassario came within two outs of her fifth shutout after blanking Hazleton during the first six frames. She yielded just one unearned run, while fanning seven to up her record to 12-4.

Brandywine took a 1-0 lead in the third when three-straight, two-out singles pushed across the first run as Landis drove a base hit through the middle to score DeDios.

Three more two-out runs crossed the plate in the sixth. Gianna Casale (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) singled, moved to second via passed ball and scored on Sarah Moore's (New Holland, Pa./Pequea Valley) base hit. After an error loaded the bases, DeDios provided a single through the right side, scoring two.

Kassidy Hoffman (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) scored following a wild pitch and Brophy drove in Cassario with a sacrifice fly as the Lions padded their lead in the seventh.

Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 12, Penn State Hazleton 2

Hazleton scored first, but Brandywine scored the next 12 runs as the Lions racked up 12 more hits in a ten-run, five-inning triumph in game two.

Eight of Brandywine's runs came during the third inning on eight hits as 12 batters came to the plate. Taylor D'Attilio (Hammonton, N.J./Cedar Creek) tripled down the right field line to score Destiny Brophy (Bristol, Pa./Bristol) and D'Attilio came around to score on Jess James' (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) two-base hit. DeDios followed with a run-scoring single and two batters later, Karly Rees (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) delivered the big blow during the inning, clearing the bases with a double. Cassario added a triple to push Rees across with the Lions' eighth run.

James singled, stole two bases, and scored on a Landis groundout in the fourth. Three more runs touched home one frame later as D'Attilio and James produced RBI singles and Landis worked a bases-loaded walk.

James recorded three hits, three runs scored, two RBI and two stolen bases, while D'Attilio collected two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Rees drove in three runs, while Landis added a pair of RBI.

Cassario tallied her second two-hit game of the day and won her second game in the circle. She pitched all five innings, registering three strikeouts, while allowing two runs on three hits, all of which came during the first inning. Cassario set down 12 of the final 13 batters she faced following a walk to lead off the second inning.

Brandywine (26-9, 14-1 PSUAC) hosts Penn State Schuylkill Friday at 3:00 PM in the Lions' regular-season finale.