Lady Lions score fourth PSUAC win against Fayette

By: Matylda Zamudio

MONACA, Pa. – The Penn State Beaver women's softball team defeated rival Penn State Fayette in Friday's PSUAC home game, 3-1.

Fayette jumped ahead early with a run at the top of the first, but freshman Taylor Johnson (San Antonio/ East Central) hit a two-out single to propel freshman Michelle Cisco (Churchville/C. Milton Wright) home to tie the game at 1-1 at the bottom of the third. In the fourth inning, senior Vanessa Jackson (Snohomish) got hot on the mound, striking out the first two Fayette batters to help Beaver get back on offense with the game still tied. At the bottom of the fourth, junior Jessica Hughes (Hopewell) went up first to bat and knocked a home run to give Beaver a 2-1 edge entering the fifth. Beaver's defense held it down in the top of the fifth, thanks to a double play by Johnson, who fired the ball from second base to senior Brittany Zahn (New Brighton) at first. At the bottom of the sixth with the game still in Beaver's favor 2-1, Zahn advanced Cisco from first to third and sent Jackson straight home for a third Beaver run (3-1). The defense then sealed the deal in the seventh by not allowing Fayette to land on the board again, giving the Lady Lions their fourth conference win of the season.

Cisco led the offensive charge today, going 3 for 3 at bat and Hughes, Johnson and Zahn each earned 1 RBI in the game.

Jackson was on the mound for Beaver (W, 8-1), where she pitched a complete game and picked up her eighth win of the season. Jackson allowed five hits by Fayette and struck out five of the 25 batters she faced.

After today's win against Fayette, Beaver is now 12-7 overall for the season and 4-1 in the conference. 

The Lady Lions will now face Penn State Fayette on the road tomorrow for another PSUAC doubleheader on Mar. 30. Game one is at 3 p.m. followed by game two at 5 p.m.