Lady Lions Win PSUAC in Dramatic Fashion

On Thursday, April 30, the Penn State Beaver Lady Lions softball team won the PSUAC by defeating Penn State Hazleton in the semi-finals, 7-2 and defeating the Penn College Wildcats for the championship in two games, 5-4 and 5-4.

In game one Beaver was up against Hazleton. During the regular season, these teams split the double header, with both games going into extra innings.

Hazleton struck first, scoring one in the top of the first. Beaver answered in their half of the inning, plating four runs in the first to take a 4-1 lead after one. Beaver scored twice in the second and once in the sixth to extend the lead, 7-1. Hazleton scored a run in the seventh, and Beaver went on to win the game to advance to the championship.

Freshmen Katie Landis (Rochester High School, Rochester, PA) and Lindsey Scialdone (Lincoln High School, Ellwood City, PA) each had three hits and three RBIs. Sophomore Kayla Chambers (South Side High School, Hookstown, PA) pitched seven innings, gave up nine hits, two earned runs, and struck out six.

The first game of the championship was a challenge as Beaver fought the Penn College Wildcats. Beaver not only had to take on Penn College, the team that put Beaver in the loser's bracket the previous night, but they would have to beat them twice for the PSUAC Championship. 

Penn College scored one in the first inning and added two unearned runs in the third, then another in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead. Beaver scored two in the sixth to cut the lead to 4-2. Scialdone lined a two-out walk-off single that scored both the tying and winning run, taking the teams to a second game.  

In game two of the championship, Beaver used their momentum to build a 1-0 lead after two innings. Penn College scored twice in the third inning, but Beaver answered with one to tie the game at 2-2 after three innings of play. The rain began after a scoreless inning in the fifth. After a 20-minute delay, play resumed and Penn College scored twice for a 4-2 lead.

Beaver couldn't get a runner across the plate in the fifth and sixth. Trailing by two in the final at-bat, Beaver came to life. Senior Taylor Rzeczkowski started the rally with a triple and junior Jen Hain (Northgate/Pittsburgh, PA) grounded out to knock in Rzeczkowski to pull the Lady Lions within one. Senior Melissa Swoager (South Side/Hookstown, PA) singled and sophomore Alonna Verrico (Rochester/Rochester, PA) followed with an infield hit.  After a fielder's choice, a walk loaded the bases to move the winning run in scoring position. After a wild pitch that junior Amanda Moore (Hopewell/Racoon Twp,PA) scored on to tie the game, freshman Jamie Karpinski (Quigley/Beaver, PA) pounded a 1-2 pitch down the third base line for a walk-off single.

Beaver is first in the PSUAC and heads to the USCAA National Tournament in Decatur, IL on May 6 and 7. Beaver ended their season with an overall record of 24-17.