Brandywine Splits Two Games Tuesday

LEESBURG, Fla. – Penn State Brandywine won its opener 4-2 over Olivet College, but RPI pulled away late for a 9-1 victory in game two as the Lions continued play at The Spring Games Tuesday afternoon.

Game One: Penn State Brandywine 4, Olivet 2

Brandywine scored three times during the first inning and that's all Cara Fabiano (Bristol, Pa./Bristol) would need as the Lions claimed a 4-2 triumph.

Fabiano went the distance in the circle, striking out two, while limiting Olivet to two runs (one earned) on seven hits. She upped her record to 2-1 this spring.

Brandywine's first five batters reached safely during the bottom of the first inning as the Lions turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead. Rachel Cherubini (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) and Fiona Warren (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) recorded back-to-back singles and Alexandra Szpindor (Pottstown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) worked a walk to load the bases. Payton Landis (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) blooped a single to score Cherubini with the Lions' first run. Arden Rabiger (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) was issued a walk to force in another run, while Szpindor scored on a wild pitch.

Olivet got one run closer with an unearned tally in the third, but Brandywine tacked on an insurance run two frames later. Szpindor laced a double to the wall to lead off and came around to score on Rebecca Sorrentino's (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) base hit three batters later.

After yielding the unearned run in the third, Fabiano set down 13 of the final 14 batters she faced to secure the victory.

Landis and Warren paced the offense with two hits each. Landis reached safely in all three plate appearances after also working a walk.

Game Two: RPI 9, Penn State Brandywine 1

The teams entered the bottom of the fourth inning tied 1-1, but the Engineers took the lead with two runs and then exploded for six two-out scores in the fifth inning to complete a 9-1 victory over Brandywine.

Landis accounted for both Brandywine hits, collecting a first inning single and the first home run of her college career, a solo shot over the right field fence, in the fourth.

RPI recorded seven hits and took advantage of two Brandywine errors and five walks issued by Lion pitchers.

Brandywine (3-6) closes out Spring Break Wednesday afternoon against the same two opponents, facing Olivet at 12:45 PM and RPI at 3:00 PM.