PITTSFORD, NY – The Penn State Behrend softball team defeated William Paterson 2-0 in game one of the NCAA Division III Tournament, before falling in the elimination game 4-1 to Manhattanville on Saturday afternoon at St. John Fisher.
In the opener for the Lions (27-14), Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) started the game and pitched four innings, before giving way to Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) finished the final three innings for the win. Miller allowed four hits and Bupp surrendered two with three strikeouts.
Behrend used two runs in the sixth inning to survive to see another game.
Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) singled and advanced to second on an error to start the sixth inning. Kendra Schreck (Emlenton, PA/Cranberry), who pinch hit from Lacey Hilderbrand (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny), came to the plate and got a hit and to score Gozzard on a throwing error for a 1-0 lead.
Hilderbrand then pinch ran for Schreck and scored on a wild pitch when Kelsey Heinrich (Brookville, PA/Brookville) was at bat to make it a 2-0 final.
In the nightcap, Behrend and Manhattanville battled through four scoreless innings until the Valiants struck first in the fifth. With a runner on second with no outs, Laurel Coito flied out and Brittany Deieso scored on an error for a 1-0 edge.
The Lions answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union) singles up the middle to score Carson Hauser (Westfield, NY/Westfield Academy) with two outs for a 1-all contest.
Manhattanville added three more runs, including two in the sixth inning thanks to a pair of doubles. The Valiants tallied two hits in the seventh for the final run.
McDonnell and Hauser each recorded two hits. AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) pitched 5.1 innings and struck out five for the loss.
Behrend finished the season 27-14 overall.