Brandywine Splits First Road Twinbill

MONACA, Pa. – Penn State Brandywine rallied for a game one victory, but dropped game two to Penn State Beaver as the teams split a Penn State University Athletic Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday. Brandywine claimed the opener 5-4 before dropping the nightcap 8-5.

Game One: Penn State Brandywine 5, Penn State Beaver 4

Brandywine scored the final five runs of the game to overcome a four-run deficit and defeat Beaver in the opener.

The hosts scored during each of their first three at-bats to build a 4-0 lead entering the top of the fourth.

The Lions began to chip away in the fourth as Crystal Cassario (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) singled, stole second and scored via error to put Brandywine on the board.

Brandywine put together a two-out rally in the fifth, adding two more runs to get within one. Kaylee Mushinski (Allentown, N.J./Allentown) singled in Meghan Ferry (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) and later crossed home following another Beaver miscue.

The Lions went on top in the sixth, needing just one hit to score a pair of runs. Jess James (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) singled to start the frame and came around to score when Lianna DeDios (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) set down a squeeze bunt. DeDios reached safely on the bunt and would cross home two batters later with the go-ahead run thanks to Mushinski's sacrifice fly.

Cassario had three hits and was the winning pitcher after striking out two and allowing four runs in seven innings, while James celebrated her birthday with a three-hit effort.

Game Two: Penn State Beaver 8, Penn State Brandywine 5

Brandywine suffered a loss to Beaver for the first time in 19 all-time meetings as the hosts claimed an 8-5 victory in game two.

Brandywine took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the third after Emily Reagan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) scored following an error and Mushinski doubled in Ferry; however, Beaver answered with five runs during the bottom of the frame and added two more unearned runs in the fourth to take control of the game.

Payton Landis (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) delivered a two-out, run-scoring single in the sixth and Ferry launched her third home run of the year, a two-run shot in the seventh, to provide the remainder of the Brandywine scoring.

Reagan posted two hits and scored twice, while Ferry drove in three runs and crossed home two times. Maddie DeFazio (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) did not allow an earned run and struck out five during 3.2 innings of relief.

Brandywine (18-6, 8-2 PSUAC) remains on the road Tuesday for a non-conference matchup at Albright.