Fayette splits with GA for second straight day

Saturday afternoon, the Penn State Fayette softball team split its second double header in as many days with Penn State Greater Allegheny.

With the split, Fayette (3-13 overall, 3-9 PSUAC) has now won three of its last six games after starting the season 0-10.

Fayette won the opener, 4-2.

Trailing 1-0 after three innings in the opener, Fayette scored three runs in the fourth.  Hope Hixon (Armagh, PA/United HS) got things going with a one-out walk.  After Lauren Mastowski (Dawson, PA/Frazier HS) reached on an error, Kelsey Holp (Grindstone, PA/Frazier HS) singled in Hixon.  Kristina Aeschbacher (Carmichaels, PA/Carmichaels HS) followed with an RBI double to score Mastowksi and then Holp scored on a fielder's choice by Kylie Saltis (Mount Clare, WV/South Harrison HS). 

Greater Allegheny (7-9, 7-9) scored a run in the sixth to trim its deficit to 3-2, but Fayette got the run right back in the seventh when Lauran Minerd (Uniontown, PA/Albert Gallatin HS) scored on the third Greater Allegheny error of the inning.

Hixon went the distance on the mound and closed things out in the bottom of the seventh.  She gave up six hits over the seven innings and struck out three while walking five.

Holp led Fayette's five-hit showing with two singles while Aeschbacher's double was the lone extra base hit of the game.

In the second game, Greater Allegheny had eight extra base hits and led the entire way in its 10-3 victory.

Trailing 4-0 after four innings, Fayette got on the board in the fifth.  Saltis reached base on an error and scored three batters later on a Cassidy Uphold (Grantsville, MD/Northern Garrett HS) single. 

Trailing 5-1 in the sixth, Fayette scored two runs on a Hayley White (Cumberland, MD/Allegany HS) single.  However, that was as close as Fayette would get as the hosts scored five runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game away.

Fayette was limited to four singles in the game while Brianna O'Malley led Greater Allegheny with two triples.  Maura Ryan added a triple while Greater Allegheny added five doubles among its 13-hit attack.

Fayette returns to action Monday when it hosts PSUAC West division leaders Penn State Mont Alto (14-4, 13-3).

For more on the Penn State Fayette softball team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/sball/index.