Lions Takes Game Two From Grove City; Falls in Opener

GROVE CITY, Pa. – After falling 1-0 in game one, the Penn State Behrend softball team defeated Grove City 8-1 in the second contest of the non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.

The Lions (14-14) pushed eight runs across home plate and posted four extra-base hits, including a three-run homer by Amy Greene to give her four on the season and 12 for her career to put her one away from tying for second on the all-time list.

Behrend bounced back from two hits in the opener to adding 14 to that number in the nightcap for the split. The Lions recorded hits from the first three out of four batters, starting with a single from Chloe Vernon in the first.

Chelsi Riordan followed with a triple to score Vernon. Morgan Griffin walked to put two runners on for Greene's home run to give Behrend an early 4-0 lead. In the third, Griffin doubled and scored on Ashley Gruber's RBI single for a five-run advantage.

The Lions added three more runs in the seventh while only giving up one run in the fourth. Kelsey Fuller faced 26 batters and allowed five hits.

Game one turned into a pitchers dual with the battle won by the Wolverine's Lauren Clarke. She gave up two hits and struck out six.  Julie Heinl surrendered one run on four hits and fanned five batters for the loss.

Grove City scored its lone run in the second on an RBI single by Grace Murtoff to knock in Christine Slater, who reached on a fielder's choice.

Greene and Fuller tallied the hits for the Lions in game one.

Behrend returns to action on Saturday at La Roche to complete the second game of the doubleheader that was suspended on Tuesday. Game time is 5 p.m.