Posted: Mar 18, 2025
Craddock Walks Brandywine Off With Home-Opening Sweep
Game 1
Game 1
Gwynedd Mercy
(2-8)
4
Penn State Brandywine
(6-3)
5
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gwynedd Mercy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
|
Penn State Brandywine | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | X | 5 | 7 | 2 |
Game 2
Game 2
Gwynedd Mercy
(2-9)
2
Penn State Brandywine
(7-3)
3
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gwynedd Mercy | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
|
Penn State Brandywine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
ASTON, Pa. -- Ava Craddock (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two, sending the Penn State Brandywine softball team to a sweep of Gwynedd Mercy during the team's home-opening doubleheader on Tuesday night. The Lions edged the Griffins 5-4 in game one and rallied for a 3-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Game One: Penn State Brandywine 5, Gwynedd Mercy 4
Brandywine built a three-run lead through five innings and held off a late charge from Gwynedd Mercy to win the day's first game by a 5-4 count.
After spotting Gwynedd Mercy a pair of first-inning runs, Brandywine put three markers on the board during the bottom of the first. Back-to-back singles from Lexi Bussenger (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) and Emma McElroy (Mountainside, N.J./Governor Livingston) and a walk to Craddock loaded the bases for Shelby DeCillis (Iselin, N.J./Colonia), who was issued a free pass, forcing in the Lions' first run. Jordan DuBois (Southampton, N.J./Seneca) delivered a run-scoring base hit before Craddock crossed home with the go-ahead run via wild pitch.
Brandywine upped its lead to two runs in the fourth as Madie Culbertson (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) recorded a leadoff single and later scored on a wild pitch. DuBois tripled in Naya Rivera (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) with the Lions' fifth run one frame later.
Gwynedd Mercy scored twice with two outs in the sixth to cut its deficit to just one, but Maddie DeFazio (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) recorded the final out of the frame on a groundout back to the box to avoid further damage.
DeFazio shut the door in the seventh, retiring the Griffins in order to earn her second save of the season. April Lewandowski (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) worked the first 5.1 innings to up her record to 4-1 this spring. Lewandowski struck out four, while yielding four runs on four hits.
DuBois recorded two hits and two RBI, while McElroy had a pair of knocks and stole a base to pace the Lions offensively.
Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 3, Gwynedd Mercy 2
Brandywine trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning before three GMU errors allowed two runs to score and Craddock delivered the game-winning hit one frame later.
Craddock got the sixth-inning rally started with a single and later scored on a Griffin miscue. Two batters later, Gwynedd Mercy's third error of the frame allowed DeCillis to cross home with the game-tying run.
Bussenger reached safely with a one-out infield single in the seventh and moved to second via McElroy's sacrifice bunt. Craddock followed by lining a base hit just inside the right field line, allowing Bussenger to cross home with the game-winning run.
Craddock reached base safely in all four of her plate appearances, recording three of Brandywine's six hits, plus a walk. Isabella Hurta (Colts Neck, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) pitched all seven inning, earning her third win of the season. She fanned eight Griffins, one shy of her career high, while limiting GMU to two runs (one earned) on five hits.
Brandywine (7-3) will look to extend its 27-game home winning streak Thursday when the Lions host Franklin & Marshall at 3:00 PM.
