SB splits with two Top-5 USCAA teams
Going into Easter weekend action, first-year Penn State Fayette softball coach Alex Rohlf knew that her and her team was in for a tough challenge as it was hosting the top two teams in the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) in first place Penn State Brandywine Friday and second place Penn State Schuylkill Saturday.
Both Brandywine and Schuylkill entered the weekend ranked in the top five in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), so Rohlf knew her team would face a tough challenge.
Fayette (8-12 overall, 4-8 PSUAC) has been playing good ball and competing with other PSUAC teams, but the team has been going through some growing pains. But after splitting with both Brandywine (24-9, 13-1) and Schuylkill (17-6, 9-3) over the weekend, it is safe to say that Fayette has hit a growth spurt.
"This weekend may have been the biggest in Fayette softball history," said Rohlf. "We upset the fourth-ranked and fifth-ranked teams in the country on back-to-back days."
In the first game Friday, Fayette handed Brandywine its first conference loss of the season, 2-0, before dropping the second game in extra innings, 6-4.
"The first game, we showed what we are truly capable of," Rohlf said. "To knock off the defending (PSUAC) champions, that says something. It shows that we have arrived. I couldn't say more about the grit Courtney (McKlveen) showed in the circle in the first game. She was tough and a huge part of that win. We knew coming in how good of a team they are, and we knew it would take a perfect game to beat them twice. Unfortunately, we just didn't have that. They are an extremely good team, but it showed that we can play with the best of the best twice."
McKlveen (Ligonier, PA/Ligonier HS) went the distance to earn the shutout win. She gave up eight hits while striking out six and walking one.
With one out in the bottom of the first, McKlveen singled and two batters later, Lauren Mastowski (Dawson, PA/Frazier HS) singled her in. In the fourth, Mastowski singled and scored an insurance run on an error to give McKlveen some extra room to work with. Mastowski and Carissa Cyphert (Scottdale, PA/Southmoreland HS) led Fayette's six-hit attack with two singles apiece.
In the second game, the score was 3-3 after seven innings. Brandywine scored three times in the top of the eighth. Fayette scored a run in the bottom of the inning, but it wasn't enough as Brandywine earned the split.
Kelsey Holp (Grindstone, PA/Frazier HS) led Fayette with three singles while Brianna Hunt (Berlin, PA/Berlin Brothersvalley HS) added two. Hayley White (Cumberland, MD/Allegany HS) pitched the first five innings and gave up two runs on four hits before giving way to McKlveen, who gave up four runs over three innings.
Saturday, Fayette dropped the opener to Schuylkill, 6-1 before winning the nightcap, 5-4, on Senior Day. Mastowski, Kolp and Cyphert were honored as the three seniors on the team.
"There were some nerves in the first game, as is expected on Senior Day," Rohlf said. "We let them get ahead, and we couldn't quite come back. We were hitting, but right at them. In the second game, we bounced back. We had some clutch defensive plays and hits, were aggressive and found a way to win. That was also a very good team."
Fayette was limited to five hits in the opener, with Mastowski looking best with a double. McKlveen went the distance and gave up six runs on eight hits.
Sammi McGhee (Hutchison, PA/Yough HS) had three singles to lead Fayette in its nightcap win while Cassidy Uphold (Grantsville, MD/Northern Garrett HS) had a double. Uphold and Mastowski each drove in two runs for Fayette.
Fayette led 4-1 after three innings and 4-3 after four. In the bottom of the fifth, Uphold scored what would be the winning run on a Schuylkill error.
White went three innings and gave up three runs and seven hits. McKlveen went the last four innings and limited Schuylkill to one run on two hits.
Rohlf spoke about how the team has to look forward and not back at what it accomplished over the weekend.
"We have a huge week ahead of us," said Rohlf. "This week will determine if we make the playoffs or not. We are playing well and if we play like we did this weekend, I think we will find our way in. We are not done and still have more conference games to go. This season is not over for us."
Fayette closes out its home schedule Tuesday when it hosts Penn State DuBois (11-15, 9-5) for a double header that starts at 2:00 p.m. DuBois is in fourth place in the PSUAC while Fayette is tied for seventh with Penn State New Kensington (4-10, 4-8) and Penn State Greater Allegheny (5-13, 4-8). More importantly, Fayette is percentage points behind Penn State Mont Alto (11-17, 6-11) for sixth.
For more information on the Penn State softball team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/sball/index or follow the team on Instagram @fayetteathletics.