ERIE, Pa. – Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) drove in the game-winning run while Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) threw a complete shut out to lead the Penn State Behrend softball team over Mt. Aloysius 1-0 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Saturday.
The Lions (19-13, 15-3 AMCC) also won game two 9-1 in five innings for the sweep to finish in second place in the conference standings and go undefeated on the season at home.
Miller was one inning away from throwing a no-hitter, but the Mounties (17-15, 9-7 AMCC) got their lone hit with two outs in the top of the seventh by Brandie Mott. The sophomore hurler struck out 10 of the 25 batters she faced and walked two for her 11th win of the season.
Behrend only had two hits after the fifth inning proving game one to be a pitchers dual.
In the bottom of the sixth, Amanda Krolczyk (Union City, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a single through the left side by Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union). Bupp then singled up the middle to take Krolczyk off second and send her home for the game-winning RBI hit and run.
Allania Banta (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) had the first hit for the Lions and finished game one with two out of the team's five total.
Bupp returned in game two in the circle, getting her fifth win and striking out six including the final batter in the top of the fifth inning to help Behrend complete the sweep. She only allowed one hit and one run through five innings.
Krolcyzk was a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs thanks to her second home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning to get the Lions on the board.
Mt. Aloysius scored first on a double by Hayley McGowan to start game two, but that was the only hit and run for the Mounties.
Behrend plated four runs in back-to-back innings to set up the eight-run rule at the bottom of the fourth inning. Bupp got three easy outs with the help of the defense in the top of the fifth for the final 9-1 margin.
McDonnell and Miller each had a pair of hits in the nightcap.
The Lions return to action on Tuesday at Washington & Jefferson. The doubleheader begins at 3:30 p.m.
