Lions Strike for 24 in AMCC Sweep

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - The Penn State Behrend softball team scored a combined 24 runs on 22 hits to take a pair of wins from Franciscan in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) opener on Monday afternoon.

The Lions (7-7, 2-0 AMCC) have made it five straight wins thanks an 11-0 five-inning victory in game one and handing the Barons (0-12, 0-2 AMCC) a 13-11 loss in game two.  Ashley Gruber (Burton, OH/Berkshire) was a perfect 3-for-3 in the first game, hitting a two-run homer in the first and two RBI singles.

Julie Heinl (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) struck out six in four innings of work for the win, while Kourtney Walsh (Sharpsville, PA/Sharpsville) fanned two batters in one inning of relief.

In game two, Behrend scored nine runs in the top of the sixth inning to erase a 10-4 deficit for the come-back victory.  As a team, the Lions scored 13 runs on 15 hits. Samantha Grismore (Westfield, NY/Westfield Academy Central) went 4-for-5 with two doubles, including a two-run double in the sixth.

Spryce York (Rixford, PA/Otto Eldred) also smacked a pair of doubles for her two hits of game two, while Chloe Vernon (Sharon, PA/Kennedy Catholic) had three hits in five appearances.

Kim Tarosky (Kittaning, PA/Kittaning) pitched the first two and two third innings, before making way for Walsh, who threw for one and two thirds innings. Kelsey Fuller (Albion, PA/Northwestern) was the third pitcher for the Lions and earned the win with allowing just one earned run.

Behrend is back in action on Wednesday at home against Hilbert. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.