Lions Fall to Hiram

ERIE, Pa. – Penn State Behrend stranded 10 runners on base and tallied just 10 hits, surrendering two games to Hiram 10-2 and 8-3 in non-conference softball action on Thursday afternoon.

The Terriers (16-14) recorded 12 hits and plated eight runs in the third inning to win the opener in five, before registering a six-run inning in game two to sweep the Lions (19-13).

In the four hits registered in game one for Behrend, Amy Greene (Erie, PA/Strong Vincent) tallied an RBI double down the left-field line to score Ashley Gruber (Burton, OH/Berkshire) and Julie Heinl (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) in the bottom of the first to make it 2-all.

Hiram used seven hits to score eight runs in the third to take the commanding lead. The Lions could not get out of the hole in the next three chances at bat. Heinl suffered the loss in 2 2/3 innings pitched, while Kourtney Walsh (Sharpsville, PA/Sharpsville) threw well in relief for her seventh appearance in the circle.

Behrend was unable to muster much offense against Ashley Hinkle in the nightcap, totaling just six hits and two earned runs. The Lions scored first off of Greene's third triple of the season to send in Fuller off second to home for a 1-0 lead.

The Terriers followed with six runs in the top of the second frame. Hiram went through the entire batting order to take a 6-1 lead with five hits and one Behrend error. 

The Lions tallied two of the six hits in the sixth to make it 7-3. Greene walked to start the inning and scored after Spryce York's (Rixford, PA/Otto Eldred) single to center field and an error. Leah Griffin (Springboro, PA/Conneaut Valley) hit an RBI single to plate York. Hiram added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.

Fuller finished with two hits and also pitched all seven innings, giving up six earned runs and striking out two for the second straight loss.

Behrend returns to action on Saturday against AMCC foe La Roche for senior day. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.