ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend softball team were named the 2018 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Runners-Up, falling to No. 1 Pfeiffer 8-0 in five innings in the championship game on Sunday.
The fourth-seeded Lions (32-13) upset No. 2 Westminster 1-0 in the semifinals in game one and then came up short of their first title to the Falcons (37-5).
Carson Hauser (Westfield, NY/Westfield), Angela Sullivan (Belle Vernon, PA/Belle Vernon), Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) and Kristen Kargol (Saegertown, PA/Cambridge Springs) were selected to the ECAC All-Tournament Team for their efforts in the two games.
In the opener against the Titans, Sullivan had one of the four Behrend hits and the lone run to get Behrend into the title game. With two outs in the top of the fifth, Sullivan ripped a double down right-field line and advanced to third on an error. She then scored on a passed ball for the game-winning run.
AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) recorded her 19th win in the circle, allowing six hits and striking out three. Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) pitched the last inning for her ninth save.
In the championship game, the Pfeiffer scored four runs in the third off a pair of home runs and added three more in the fourth for the eight-run rule. Pitcher Kiana Millsaps, the Tournament MVP, allowed two hits for the shut-out victory.
Vada Blue Sherrill helped the Falcons take a 1-0 lead after the first with a lead-off double and then scoring on a sacrifice fly by Millsaps. Makenzie Pennell and Kari Westerbeek tallied home runs in the third, before adding the final runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Pfeiffer tallied eight runs on six hits to hoist the ECAC Trophy.
Jillian Williams (Corry, PA/Corry) pitched the first 2 2/3 innings, giving up five earned runs on three hits for the loss in the circle.
The Lions finish the season with a 32-13 overall record and 10-2 mark at home.