Softball Falls at St. VIncent in Season Opener

March 19, 2011--Latrobe, Pa.

The Penn State Fayette softball team opened their 2011 campaign with a doubleheader at NCAA Division III member St. Vincent College, dropping both games of the set, 9-1 and 5-3. The loss drops the Lady Roaring Lions to 0-2, while St. Vincent improves to 4-0.

Sophomore Kasey Ruble led the Lady Roaring Lions in game one, going 2-for-2 and scoring the lone Fayette run. Fayette was unable to notch any other hits off of Bearcat pitchers Shauna Hetrick and Emily Lauterbach. Freshman Taylor Lux had an RBI groundout in the top of the fourth inning to score Ruble.

Freshman Paige McWilliams started game one, giving up eight runs, six earned, in 3 1/3 innings. McWilliams struggled to find the zone in her first outing of the season, striking out one and walking five batters. Ruble came on in relief, surrendering one run in 1 1/3 innings.

The Lady Roaring Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in game two, with sophomore Nikki Lovett doubling to right center in the top of the second inning. She would later advance to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Bearcat fielding error. However, St. Vincent answered with three runs on two hits in the bottom half of the second to take a 3-1 lead. It was 3-2 after Ruble bunted her way on, stole second, and scored after advancing to third on a groundout and an eventual throwing error.

After a St. Vincent run in the fourth, Fayette matched them with a run in the sixth. Lux reached on a fielding error, followed by a single by freshman Jill Guthrie. Lovett reached on a fielder's choice, but Lux scored on an errant throw by the Bearcat shortstop, making the score 4-3 in favor of the Bearcats. However, St. Vincent added a run in the bottom half of the sixth to make the score 5-3.

Ruble pitched five innings in game two, giving up four runs and five hits. Freshman Lacey Mathews relieved Ruble in the sixth, giving up no hits, but one run scored. Lovett finished game two with two hits and a run scored.

The Lady Roaring Lions will hold their home opener against Salem International on Saturday, Mar. 26, in a make-up contest from their postponed doubleheader on Mar. 8. Fayette home games are played at Hutchinson Park in Hopwood, Pa.