Miller Leads Lions Past La Roche; Redhawks Take Opener

Miller Leads Lions Past La Roche; Redhawks Take Opener
ERIE, Pa. – Rachel Miller's (North East, PA/North East) pitching and eight runs scored in the fourth inning of game two helped the Penn State Behrend softball team defeat La Roche 9-1 after falling 8-4 in the opener in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Friday.

Miller only surrendered two hits and no earned runs, while striking out a game-high four batters for her sixth win of the season. Sydney Sherrieb (Washington, PA/Trinity) went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and one runs scored in the win for the Lions (12-14, 9-3 AMCC).

Behrend recorded eight runs on six hits in the decisive fourth inning. The Lions broke open a scoreless game thanks to a two RBI double by Sherrieb with bases loaded to start the inning. The hits kept coming and the bases stayed loaded for six more runs to be plated. Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union) and Leah Griffin (Springboro, PA/Conneaut Valley) also knocked in two runs apiece with singles in the inning to give Behrend an 8-0 lead.

La Roche avoided the shutout and the eight-run rule in the fifth with an opening double and then an error to score a run with no outs.

The Lions got the final run they needed in the sixth to cut the game short of seven. Kelsey Heinrich (Brookville, PA/Brookville) singled and Griffin walked for two runners on in the bottom of the sixth. Sherrieb hit her second double of the game to score Heinrich for a 9-1 finish.

In game one, the Redhawks scattered eight runs across seven innings never trailing to take the opener, 8-4. La Roche took advantage of Behrend's five errors including three in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Behrend cut the lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the third thanks to a double by Griffin and hits from Sherrieb, Kelsey Fuller (Albion, PA/Northwestern), and Allaina Banta (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) .

When the Lions got close, La Roche managed to add more runs. The Redhawks made it 5-2 with two runs in the fourth. Behrend plated one in the fourth and another in the fifth to get within one once again.

La Roche smacked six hits and scored three runs over the final two innings for the four-run victory.

Sherrieb, Banta and Kelly Hedderick (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) each tallied two hits in game one.

The Lions return to action on Tuesday against D'Youville. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.