Softball Defeats Lebanon Valley; Falls to Alvernia

CLERMONT, Fl. – The Penn State Behrend softball team tallied their second win of the season with a 4-2 over Lebanon Valley on Monday in Clermont, Florida. The Lions (2-2) fell in game two, 6-3, to Alvernia.

Sarah Blagg (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) went a combined 4-for-6 with three runs, three RBIs and a home run on the day.

In the opener, Behrend scored three runs in the second inning and held for a two-run victory. Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) got her second win in the circle and Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) earned the save for her efforts from the top of the sixth until the end.

Blagg was 2-for-3, starting out the top of the first with a single and then scoring on an Allania Banta (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) double on the next at bat. In the second and facing two outs, Carson Hauser (Westfield, NY/Westfield Academy) singles and stole second, before Miller tallied a hit to put two on.

Blagg then smacked her first home run of the season and drove in three runs for a 4-0 lead.

That next inning for the Flying Dutchmen, Miller struck out three consecutive batters for a quick three and out.

Lebanon Valley added two runs in the fifth to cut the lead to 4-2. Bupp had three strikeouts in two innings to halt a comeback attempt.

In game two, Alvernia scored three runs in the first and another three runs in the second for the win. Blagg had a pair of hits and scored the lone run in the third for the Lions. AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) was the starting pitchers, getting the loss, and Bupp came in the top of the sixth once again.

Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union) knocked in Blagg in the third with her only hit nof the game. Behrend added a run in the fifth and another in the sixth but could not overcome the early lead by Alvernia.

Miller and Banta both had a double in game two and scored off sacrifice flies.

Behrend returns to action tomorrow against Manhattanville and WPI at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.