ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Westminster in their home opener, winning game one 7-2 and falling in the nightcap 5-2, on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lions (5-7) got a home run in each game, including one into center field from Allania Banta (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) in the opener to give Behrend its first win over Titans (5-11) since 2010.
Julia Luke (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) went 2-for-3 with three RBI off her triple in the first inning. Freshman Kristen Kargol (Saegertown, PA/Cambridge Springs) knocked in a pair of doubles, while Rachel Miller (NorthW East, PA/North East) tallied her third win in the circle. She pitched 5.1 innings and faced 22 batters, giving up six hits and two runs.
The Lions had two big innings to start, offensively and defensively. Miller had six batters up and six batters down after two, and Behrend combined for six runs for a 6-0 lead heading into the third.
In the bottom of the first, Banta walked in between a pair of outs while Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union) and Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) each singled to load the bases for Luke. She smacked a triple down right-field line to score the first three runs. Kargol followed with a double in the same spot to score Luke for a quick 4-0 lead.
Banta hit a dinger in the second inning to score Miller, who got on with a single and stole second, for a 6-0 advantage.
Westminster got its first hit in the third inning and loaded the bases with two outs, but Miller held them off the scoreboard.
The Lions had three hits in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one and getting within one run of ending the game. With bases loaded and one out with the game-winning run in scoring position, the Titans made the final two outs to give them a chance at a comeback.
In the sixth, Westminster had its first hit since the third and got on the scoreboard to make it 7-2. That score would stand until the seventh for a Behrend victory.
In game two, the Titans scored five runs on five hits in the top of the seventh to erase a 2-0 deficit and defeat the Lions for the split.
Amber Forrest pitched Westminster to the win, throwing a complete game and striking out four. AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) went six innings for Behrend and gave up one earned run off seven hits. Bupp came in the seventh and surrendered four hits and three runs for the loss.
After the second inning, the Lions had a 2-0 lead until the seventh. Leading off, McDonnell hit a solo home run to left field for the first run. The next at bat, Bupp tripled to right field and scored on a passed ball with no outs showing. Behrend would get three more hits over the next five innings and that's all.
Westminster recorded two doubles and took advantage of a costly error in the seventh for a 5-2 win.
Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) was the only player for the Lions with a pair of hits in game two.
Behrend returns to action on Wednesday against D'Youville to open AMCC action. Game one begins at 3 p.m.
