ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend softball team recorded a pair of 3-0 wins over Fredonia in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon.
Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) tallied her ninth win of the season in game one to move into second place on the all-time list for the Lions (22-12) with 44 program victories. Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) came in relief to earn her fourth save of the season.
Jillian Williams (Corry, PA/Corry) was the winner in the circle in the nightcap and AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) halted bases loaded with one out in the top of the seventh for the save.
Behrend scored three runs on six hits to take the opener. With runners on second and third with two outs, Kristen Kargol (Saegertown, PA/Cambridge Springs) doubled to left center to score Bupp and Kelsey Heinrich (Brookville, PA/Brookville) for a 2-0 lead.
Nichols made one of her two hits in the game a home run in the bottom of the sixth for an insurance run to make it 3-0.
The Blue Devils (13-21) threatened with a triple in the seventh, but Khee Nance did not get off third before the final out.
Miller struck out six of the 23 batters she faced and only allowed two hits.
In game two, Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) helped the Lions complete the sweep with a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Behrend scattered three runs among the six innings. A pair of hits to start the second inning turned into one run for the Lions.
Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union) doubled to center field as the lead off and Gozzard followed with a single up the middle. Williams' ground out got McDonnell off third and home for a 1-0 lead.
Another run was added in the fourth thanks to an RBI double by Kendra Schreck (Emlenton, PA/Cranberry) to score Carson Hauser (Westfield, NY/Westfield Academy). Hauser also scored the third run in the fifth off a Nichols single to left field.
Williams started in the circle and Nichols preserved the win to keep Behrend undefeated at home.
The Lions return to action on tomorrow against D'Youville. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.