CLERMONT, Fl. – The Penn State Behrend softball team split a non-conference doubleheader, falling to Wartburg 12-7 and then defeating Monmouth 7-2 in the nightcap on day three of spring break at the PFX Spring Games in Clermont, Florida.
Alayna Derzak (Seven Fields, PA/Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic) went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, one run and an RBI for the Lions (4-2) in the win over the Fighting Scots. Jillian Williams (Corry, PA/Corry) also went 3-for-4, while AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) pitched the entire game, allowing four hits and striking out nine.
Behrend had a four-run fifth inning to secure its fourth victory of the season. In the fourth, Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) walked and Williams singles, before both advancing on wild pitch and scoring on a Mackenzie McIntire (Stoneboro, PA/Lakeview) hit to make it 4-1.
Angela Dale (Clinton, PA/West Allegheny) grounded out to score McIntire and then Derzak scored Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) with a single for a 6-1 lead with three innings left.
Monmouth scored a run in the third and another in the seventh.
The Lions faced Wartburg for a second time in three days, winning the first meeting and then falling today, 12-7.
The Knights scored at least two runs in all but two innings, plating four in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Williams tallied two runs and started in the circle, pitching five innings before Nichols came in relief in the sixth. Kristen Kargol (Saegertown, PA/Cambridge Springs), Lauren Wentz (Grove City, PA/Grove City) and Gozzard each recorded two hits for Behrend.
The Lions return to action on Thursday against Carthage and Dominican, beginning at 9 a.m.