SB swept on Senior Recognition Day
The Penn State Fayette softball team celebrated Senior Recognition Day Tuesday afternoon, but it was Penn State Beaver who took the Penn State University Athletic Conference doubleheader afterwards.
Beaver (10-8 overall, 10-8 PSUAC) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning of the opener and won the five-inning game, 11-1.
In the first inning, Beaver did its damage without recording a hit. It took advantage of two Fayette (3-15, 3-11) errors, two walks and a wild pitch.
In the home half of the second, Fayette scored its lone run of the game. Kelsey Holp (Grindstone, PA/Frazier HS) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a double by Kristina Aeschbacher (Carmichaels, PA/Carmichaels HS). After Kylie Saltis (Mount Clare, WV/South Harrison HS) walked to load the bases, Larisa Lumbardo (Connellsville, PA/Southmoreland HS) hit into a fielder's choice to score Holp. Fayette had a chance to trim Beaver's lead even more, but Beaver relief pitcher Natalie Larkin was able to get the next two batters out to end the inning.
The third inning told the story of the game. Beaver scored five runs on four hits and took advantage of another Fayette error. With the score 9-1, Fayette was able to load the bases in the bottom of the inning, but it was not able to score.
For the game, Fayette stranded nine runners while Beaver only left three on base.
Beaver added two more runs in the fourth.
Aeschbacher finished with a single and a double while Lauren Mastowski (Dawson, PA/Frazier HS) collected two singles.
Hope Hixon (Armagh, PA/United HS) went the distance in the circle and gave up 11 runs, six earned, in five innings. She finished with three strikeouts and six walks. Beaver's Desiree Aponte went one-plus inning and was credited with the win while Larkin pitched the last four innings.
In the six-inning nightcap, Beaver recorded 17 hits in its 12-1 win.
Trailing 5-0 in the second, Fayette got on the board with its lone run of the game. Fayette was able to string together five consecutive singles but could only muster one run when Carissa Cyphert (Scottdale, PA/Southmoreland HS) drove in Aeschbach.
Other than the five singles in the second, Fayette only recorded two other hits, both singles, the rest of the game. Lumbardo led Fayette with two singles. Lacey Weible led Beaver with a double and two singles, Larkin had three singles, Aponte homered and Morgan Lee had a triple.
Hayley White (Cumberland, MD/Allegany HS) went the distance for Fayette. She gave up 12 runs, 11 earned, and 17 hits while striking out one and walking another.
Fayette and Beaver will square off again Friday when the former heads to the latter for a doubleheader.
For more on the Penn State Fayette softball team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/sball/index.
