STUEBENVILLE, Ohio – The Penn State Behrend softball team smacked five home runs in a 12-2 five-inning opening game against Franciscan and completed the sweep with a 12-10 nightcap win, in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Friday.

Five different players hit one over the fence for the Lions (13-7, 4-2 AMCC) in game one. Mackenzie McIntire (Stoneboro, PA/Lakeview) had two hits, a double and a home run, while Katie Gozzard (Pittsburgh, PA/Deer Lakes) went 3-for-4 and cranked out her second homer of the season.

Down 1-0 after the first inning, Behrend scored 10 runs in the second to take the commanding lead. In addition to Gozzard and McIntire, Alayna Derzak and Lauren Wentz both doubled in the second inning.

Both teams exchanged a run in the third to make it 11-2 and the Lions added another run in the fourth. Kristen Kargol hit a solo home run with one out showing for the final 10-run margin. AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) posted her second-straight win and seventh overall.  She allowed two runs on three hits and struck out five. Alexa Bupp (Warren, PA/Warren) pitched the final two innings.

Down 8-2 in the second game, the Lions had a four-run third inning to cut the lead to two runs. The rally continued into the seventh where Behrend tallied five runs to take a 12-10 lead.

In the seventh, Derzak doubled to center field to score Jillian Williams (Corry, PA/Corry) before coming home on a single by Carson Hauser (Westfield, NY/Westfield Academy). Gozzard followd with a double down left-field line to score Hauser and then touched home plate with a double by Bupp for the eventual game-winning run. Bupp added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Angela Dale (Clinton, PA/West Allegheny).

The Lions were just three outs from the sweep. The Barons singled and stole second before recording there straight outs to close game two.

Gozzard added another 3-for-4 showing in game two, posting a pair of doubles and three runs. Williams recorded the win after pitching the final 1.2 innings and allowing just one hit.

Behrend returns to action on Wednesday against Hilbert for an AMCC doubleheader, beginning at 3 p.m.