Lady Lions close Greater Allegheny series 4-0

By: Matylda Zamudio

MONACA, Pa. – With the end of the regular season on the horizon, the Penn State Beaver women's softball team is on fire and grabbed double wins at home against PSUAC rival Penn State Greater Allegheny on Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Lions came out aggressive right out the gate, putting up three runs at the bottom of the first to start the game with a 3-0 advantage over Greater Allegheny. Beaver then had its most dominant inning performance in the bottom of the second with four of the five batters combining for six RBIs and seven runs, including senior Dina Cable (Mannington/ Salem County Vo Tech), who grounded out to Greater Allegheny's shortstop to move senior Brenna Cepull (Monaca/Central Valley) and freshman Michelle Cisco (Churchville/C. Milton Wright) to home plate (10-0). While Greater Allegheny put up a run in the fourth, Beaver won the first bout 10-1.

Freshman Tyler Johnson (San Antonio/East Central) and Cable led the way for Beaver, both hitting 1 for 3 and earning 3 RBIs apiece.

Senior Vanessa Jackson (Snohomish) took the mound for Beaver in game one (W, 16-2), where she pitched a complete game and picked up her sixteenth win of the season. Jackson allowed only four hits and struck out five of the 19 batters she faced. She has a current ERA of 1.24.

The hot streak continued for the Lady Lions in game two which began with Beaver earning a pair of runs in the first two innings while keeping Greater Allegheny off the board (2-0). The third saw Cepull doubling-in freshman Peyton Mattson (Irvine/University) scored and Cisco to score Beaver's third and fourth run of the game followed by senior Brittany Zahn (New Brighton), who drove-in Cable and Cepull to put up two more runs to take a 6-0 lead. Beaver's fielders kept Greater Allegheny off the board in the final two innings and the offense put up another pair of runs to wrap the game. Beaver took an 8-1 victory in game two, closing the series with a perfect 4-0 record.

Cepull topped the offense in game two, where she went 2 for 3 at bat and recorded 3 RBIs followed by Zahn, who went 1 for 1 and added 2 RBIs in the second bout.

Junior Jessica Hughes (Hopewell) scored a win at the mound for Beaver in game two (W, 7-1), where she pitched a complete game and picked up her sixteenth win of the season. Hughes allowed only two hits and struck out one of the 19 batters she faced.

Beaver is now 25-9 overall for the season and holds down the first seed in the West at 14-2 in the PSUAC conference. 

The Lady Lions will be on the road tomorrow against Thiel College on April 18. The game is slated at 3:30 p.m.