Softball Back In Action; Lions Split With Altoona

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend softball team split an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) doubleheader against Penn State Altoona in their home opener on Saturday afternoon.

Playing for the first time in two weeks, the Lions (6-7, 3-1 AMCC) defeated the Altoona Lions (15-5, 5-1 AMCC) by a score of 5-1 in game one, before falling 10-4 in the nightcap.

Ashley Gruber went 2-for-3, both hits being doubles, to go with two runs and two RBIs in the opener. Amy Greene, Samantha Grismore and Gruber each smacked a double in the win. Kelsey Fuller hurled seven innings, giving up two hits and no earned runs to improve to 3-1 on the mound.

After three scoreless innings in game one, Behrend plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth to start the scoring. Greene was the first on base with a double and advanced to third on Grismore's at bat. Gruber doubled to center field to knock in Greene. Fuller's single to left center got Gruber home for a 2-0 lead.

The Lions escaped the fifth inning with only one run by Altoona, getting the third out with bases loaded on a ground out to Morgan Griffin.  Krysta Gerheim doubled and scored on an error to make it 2-1.

Behrend responded with a run in the bottom of the inning thanks to Griffin's single to send home Marissa Lisanti. The Lions had déjà vu from the fourth inning, cranking out two more doubles to get around the bases two more times for a 5-1 advantage. Gruber and Grismore each went to second on their chance at the plate and Kayla Miller hit an RBI single to get Gruber in.

In the game two, Altoona recorded 10 hits and put up the same number of runs for a 10-4 win. Kirsten Glantz had a 2-for-4 performance with two runs and two RBIs for the visitors.

The Altoona Lions took a 5-0 after the first two innings, but Behrend clawed back with four runs in the bottom of the second to get within one run due to three fielding errors.  The next Altoona chance at bat, the Lions plated three more runs for an 8-4 lead. In the sixth, Becca Enedy doubled to left center to score Glantz and Krysta Gerheim for a six-run victory.

Julie Heinl took the loss and Kourtney Walsh came to pitch the remaining 4 2/3 innings. Walsh gave up one and struck out two.

The Lions return to action on Monday against Hilbert. The doubleheader starts at 3 p.m.