Softball Eliminated From NCAA Tournament

ROCHESTER, NY – The Penn State Behrend softball team was eliminated from the 2016 NCAA Division III Championships after falling 3-0 to St. John Fisher and 8-0 (five innings) to Rochester on Friday afternoon.  

In the opener against the Cardinals (34-10), pitcher Lindsey Thayer struck out 14 and only allowed the Lions (27-13) to register two hits. St. John Fisher plated three runs, one in the fourth and two in the seventh to advance to day two.

Both teams tallied a hit in the first inning but couldn't make more of it to keep it scoreless. It remained scoreless until the fourth inning when Kristina Balsano hit an RBI single down the left-field line for a 1-0 lead. Behrend threatened in the fifth thanks to a double by Banta and her reaching third on a passed ball. She was left stranded with only one out left to keep it 1-0.

St. John Fisher added two runs in the seventh with a two-run homer by pinch hitter Sarah Kubik with just one out in the top of the frame for a 3-0 final.

Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) started the game and pitched six innings for the loss. She gave up six hits and one earned run while striking out four.

In the nightcap, Rochester recorded six runs on eight hits and relied on the pitching by Eleni Weschler for the win. Weschler was one walk away from a perfect game, giving up no runs or hits and striking out one.

With two runners on in the bottom of the first, Lauren Muni homered to help the Yellowjackets to 3-0 lead. Rochester got four runs in the third to make it 7-0 and tallied the final run in the fifth to halt the game early.

AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) suffered the loss in the circle in four innings pitched. She walked and struck out two, while only giving up one earned run out of the eight scored.