Softball Defeats Bethany; Falls to Alfred

CLERMONT, FL – AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) went 3-for-3, while also striking out eight batters in 3.2 innings for a 2-0 win over Bethany on the final day of the Penn State Behrend softball spring break trip to Clermont, Florida. The Lions fell to Alfred in game two, 2-0.

Against the Bison, Behrend had just six hits with four coming in the two-run fifth inning for the victory. Kristen Kargol (Saegertown, PA/Cambridge Springs) hit a lead-off single and a sacrifice bunt by Madison Zimmer (Carnegie, PA/Chartiers Valley) advanced her to second. A second sacrifice bunt from Carson Hauser (Westfield, NY/Westfield Academy) moved pinch runner Kelsey Heinrich (Brookville, PA/Brookville) to third.

With two outs, Sarah Blagg (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) tripled to send home Heinrich. Allania Banta (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) followed with an RBI single to right center for a 2-0 lead.

The Lions held Bethany to five hits for the shutout. Zimmer was the starting pitcher, going 3.1 innings before Nichols finished for the win in the circle.

In the nightcap, Shannon Schaefer pitched a four-hit shutout to lead Alfred over Behrend by a pair of runs. The Saxons only used four hits of their own to scored two runs, one in the fourth and one in the sixth inning.

Hauser tallied two of the four hits for the Lions. Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) was the starting pitcher and struck out two for the loss.

Behrend returns to action on Monday, March 21 at Geneva. Game time is 3:30 p.m.