Softball Championship Day Recap: Brandywine Goes for Four
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The day began with two teams looking to avoid elimination for the right to knock Penn State Brandywine off their mountain made with three consecutive PSUAC Softball Championships.
Penn State Beaver and Penn State Schuylkill opened the day at Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park, both hoping to advance to the championship game and Schuylkill trying to avenge their earlier loss to Beaver on Sunday.
The day would end with Penn State Brandywine hoisting the Lion statue for the fourth straight year, and securing their spot in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Softball World Series.
Penn State Schuylkill - 4, Penn State Beaver - 1
Schuylkill used a four run second inning to catapult themselves into the championship game. The Lions got a two-run single from Alyssa Gerber followed a two-run triple from Makenna Rushannon as Schuylkill built a 4-0 advantage.
The teams would trade three scoreless innings before Beaver struck with a Kayla Campbell single, but couldn't muster a larger rally as Schuylkill picked up the 4-1 win.
Cara Brennan picked up the win for Schuylkill, with Hannah Sell picking up the save. Brennan went five innings and allowed only two hits. Erin Luckenbill of Schuylkill and Campbell were the only players with a multi-hit game with two hits apiece.
Beaver did earn an at-large bid to the USCAA World Series, earning the no. 10 seed where they will play the no. 7 seed Mississippi University for Women at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 14th.
Championship Game
Penn State Brandywine - 14, Penn State Schuylkill - 2 5 innings
Much like their baseball counterparts, Penn State DuBois, Brandywine took advantage of their opportunity to rest as the advancing team from the winner's bracket. They used that extra time to warm up their bats as the Lions came ready to hit.
Brandywine pounded out 15 hits in just 4 innings at the plate, scoring three runs in the first, four in the second, five in the third and two in the fourth to blow by Schuylkill in the championship game. After building a 3-0 lead after one, Brandywine showed a quick glitch as Schuylkill rallied for two runs in the second to make it 3-2. However, Brandywine countered with a big inning to take a 7-2 lead and didn't look back.
Four Brandywine players finished with three hits, including Arianna Segich, Alexa Anderson, Maddie Malfara and Katy Steffen. Anderson and Steffen each had five RBIs, including a moon shot home run from Anderson in the third. Katie DeStephano went the distance in the circle for Brandywine, finishing with six strikeouts and giving up just four hits.
Schuylkill was led by Makenna Rushannon with two hits and two RBIs. Her teammates will join her at the USCAA World Series as Schuylkill's season was worth an at-large bid as the no. 8 seed after finishing 22-12 on the year, including 13-3 in the PSUAC. Schuylkill will play no. 9 seed Robert Morris University-Springfield on Monday, May 14th at 12:00 p.m.
Brandywine's win earned them the no. 5 seed in the USCAA tournament, a 2:00 p.m. tilt with no. 4 seeded NHTI.