Lady Lions out-bat Kent St-Tuscarawas
By: Matylda Zamudio
NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio – The Penn State Beaver women's softball team picked up two dominant road wins against Kent State University, Tuscarawas in both games of Wednesday's doubleheader.
The Lady Lions were on fire in game one, starting with five of Beaver's batters earning RBIs and combing for eight runs in the first including freshman Tyler Johnson (San Antonio/East Central), who recorded 3 RBIs on two triples (8-0). Senior Brenna Cepull (Monaca/Central Valley) started the offensive charge in the second inning after she hit a home run (9-0) with the Lady Lions stacking up another four runs in the inning (13-0) while holding Kent St-Tuscarawas scoreless. The top of the fourth saw one of the Lady Lions' best inning performances of the season with the players combining for 10 hits and 11 runs, including freshman Michelle Cisco (Churchville/C. Milton Wright) hitting a home run and earn 4 RBIs off the play (24-0). Beaver won game one 24-0.
Tyler Johnson was a force at-bat, hitting 5 for 5 and earning 6 RBIs followed by senior Vanessa Jackson (Snohomish), who went 4 for 4 with 1 RBI and Cisco, going 3 for 5 at bat with 5 RBIs.
Senior Vanessa Jackson (Snohomish) was on the mound for Beaver (W, 10-1), where she pitched a complete game and picked up her tenth win of the season. Jackson allowed only six hits and struck out four of the 22 batters she faced.
Cisco started the scoring in game two after she scored on a passed ball in the top of the second. Freshman Taylor Johnson (San Antonio/East Central) flew out to right field to drive-in freshman Peyton Mattson (Irvine/University) to build up a two-run advantage for Beaver (2-0). But Kent St-Tuscarawas made the score close in the bottom of the third with two runs to put the game at 3-2. But
junior Lacey Weible (Hookstown/South Side) and Tyler Johnson got hot in the fourth, with Weible tripling to send Taylor Johnson and senior Brittany Garza (La Feria) home followed by Tyler Johnson hitting a homer drive-in Weible (7-2). Beaver stayed dominant and the defense held Kent St-Tuscarawas to only one run in the final two innings and grab a second win for the day (11-3).
Weible led the way for Beaver in game two, where she went 4 for 5 at bat with 3 RBIs. Cisco had another great performance in game two, where she went 3 for 3 at bat.
Senior Torey Cassidy (Hinsdale/Portville) picked up her first win on the mound in game two (W, 1-4), where she pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and striking out two of the 29 batters she faced.
After today's wins against Kent State University, Tuscarawas, Beaver is now 15-8 overall for the season and 5-2 in the conference.
The Lady Lions will now face Penn State New Kensington at home for a PSUAC doubleheader on April 4. Game one is at 2 p.m. followed by game two at 4 p.m.