FREDONIA, NY – The Penn State Behrend softball team smacked 33 hits and scored 24 runs to split a non-conference doubleheader against Fredonia on Tuesday afternoon.
The Lions (25-9) fell 5-4 in the opener and then brought their bats in game two, posting a 20-2 victory in the nightcap. Kristen Kargol (Saegertown, PA/Cambridge Springs) went a combined 6-for-7 with nine RBIs, two home runs and two doubles for the day.
Kargol was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two doubles in game one.
After two scoreless innings in the opener, Behrend struck first in the third inning on a Mackenzie McIntire (Stoneboro, PA/Lakeview) singled to score Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) for a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Devils had a four run fourth inning off two hits, including a home run by Katelyn Dennis to make it 4-1.
The Lions managed to even the score at 4-all with another RBI single by McIntire and a double to right center by Kargol to score Lauren Wentz (Grove City, PA/Grove City) and McIntire in the top of the fifth.
Fredonia got the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth frame with two outs. Dennis singled down the right field line to score Rhianna Paloetti for the one-run victory.
Jillian Williams (Corry, PA/Corry) started the game and pitched four innings, before AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) came in for the final two innings and recording the loss on three hits and the one earned run in the fifth. Nichols has exceeded 100 strikeouts for the season
In the nightcap, the Lions smacked nine extra-base hits on 23 total hits to score 20 runs and split with the Blue Devils.
Kargol went 3-for-4 with seven RBI and two home runs, while Gozzard was 3-for-4 with four RBI and McIntire hit one over the fence for the win.
The Lions scored a run in the first, seven in the second, six in the third, four in the fourth and two more in the fifth for the abbreviated game two.
Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) was a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Brittney Williams (Atlantic, PA/Conneaut Lake) tallied her seventh win in the circle, pitching the five innings and giving up two runs on five hits.
Behrend returns to action tomorrow at D'Youville. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.