Brandywine Secures Seventh-Straight PSUAC Softball Championship

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State University Athletic Conference RBI leader Payton Landis (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) came up with her biggest run batted in of the season, delivering a go-ahead single in the top of the seventh inning, as the Penn State Brandywine softball team clinched its seventh-straight conference championship with a 3-2 victory over Penn State Hazleton Monday afternoon.

Landis drilled a two-out single into right-center field, allowing Jess James (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) to score the go-ahead run in Brandywine's half of the seventh. James was on second base after hustling for a one-out double earlier in the frame.

Crystal Cassario (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) set Hazleton down in order during the bottom of the inning, recording a strikeout before back-to-back groundouts to second baseman Lianna DeDios (Elmwood Park, N.J./Memorial) set off Brandywine's championship celebration.

Cassario was the winning pitcher for the second time in as many days after Brandywine bested Hazleton 13-2 in game one of the championship series and the 17^th time this spring. Cassario, who now owns the second-highest, single-season win total in Brandywine history, struck out three and did not allow an earned run, while yielding just four hits in seven innings.

With the victory, Brandywine claimed the conference's automatic bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series next week in DuBois. Brandywine will be the No. 3 seed after bids were announced Sunday evening.

Meghan Ferry (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) got the scoring started in the top of the first as she legged out an inside-the-park home run to right field. Ferry's home run was her 10^th of the spring, setting a new team single-season benchmark.

After Hazleton evened the score with a first-inning run, the count remained the same until the fourth when the Lions went back in front. Cassario worked a base on balls to open the frame and three batters later, pinch-runner Kassidy Hoffman (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) crossed home as Gianna Terpolilli (Hammonton, N.J./Our Lady of Mercy) earned a bases-loaded walk.

Ashley Wilson's run-scoring single during the bottom of the sixth tied the count at 2-2 and set the stage for Landis' 44^th RBI of the year during the top of the seventh.

The victory was the 32^nd of the year for the Lions, two more than any PSUAC team has had in the last 15 seasons.

Brandywine will now set its sights on its seventh-straight trip to the USCAA World Series where the third-seeded Lions will face No. 6 Mississippi University for Women in the first round Monday, May 16 in DuBois.