WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Penn Behrend softball team recorded their eighth straight win a pair of 1-0 wins over Washington & Jefferson in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon.
In their last regular-season action, the Lions (21-13) got a two-hit shutout from Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) and a six-hit shutout in game two thanks to Natalie Brock (Cochranton, PA/Cochranton) and Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) in the circle.
For the second straight outing, Miller has come close to throwing a no-hitter. In the opener, Miller and the defense held the Presidents (18-16) without a hit until the sixth inning. Behrend got five hits and scored the lone run in the bottom of the fourth.
Each team had an error and W&J's in the fourth would cost them the only run. Banta reached on that error to lead off the fourth frame. Amanda Krolczyk (Union City, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) got Banta to second on a sacrifice bunt, before Bupp drove her home with a double to left field to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.
Behrend relied on Miller in the circle to preserve the win. Even with two hits, the Presidents never threatened in the final two innings. Miller threw the complete game and fanned seven batters for her 12th victory this season.
The Lions waited until the seventh inning in the nightcap to score the game-winning run to sweep W&J. Brock recorded the win for Behrend and Bupp came in for the save in the final inning.
After seven scoreless innings, Julia Luke (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) singled up the middle to with one out showing to start the top of the seventh. The second out was recorded, before Brock walked for two runners on base. Miller singled to center field to bring Luke to the plate from second for the game-winning RBI hit and run.
The Presidents rallied in the seventh, getting back-to-back hits for runners on second and third. Bupp came in from Brock and got two outs, first a strike out and then a foul ball caught by Krolczyk for the 1-0 win.
Behrend returns to action on Friday in the AMCC Championships hosted by D'Youville.
