Softball Stumbles and Split Doubleheader with New Kensington

By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

MONT ALTO, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto softball team were dominant along the way to a 9-1 win over PSU New Kensington, but in the second game of the doubleheader they stumbled out the gates and lost 8-7. With Thursday's split with Penn State New Kensington, Mont Alto remains atop the PSUAC standings with a 13-3 overall record and 12-2 mark in the PSUAC West division.

Penn State Mont Alto 9, Penn State New Kensington 1 (F-5)

• New Kensington scored first when Molly Collins doubled to deep left center field to drive in the opening run. Mont Alto tied it up on a set play and McKenna Sas (Canyon County, Calif. / Canyon County) drove in Brooklyn Wagner (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) when her double ricocheted off the wall. The Nittany Lions ended up building a 6-1 lead.
• PSUMA's offence refired up in the bottom of the fifth inning when they achieved the mercy rule at 9-1. Highlights within the inning included Kirsten Dell (Hanover, Pa. / New Oxford) sending the final run home when she smacked an opposite field single that Karli Snyder (Leetown, W.Va. / Jefferson) scored on.
• Katie McClauslin (Biglerville, Pa. / Biglerville) tossed a gem in the pitching circle scattering just three hits to earn her seventh career victory.

Penn State New Kensington 8, Penn State Mont Alto 7 (F)

• Destiny Hall (McConnellsburg, Pa. / McConnellsburg) started her first collegiate game in the circle and the visitors jumped on her for two runs in the top of the first. A half inning later PSUMA scratched a run across when Skye Herring (Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove Area) grounded into a fielder's choice to make it 2-1.
• Hall only was able to record one out in the second frame before Emily Bittinger (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area) entered in her relief and both were credited for giving PSUNK the 6-1 lead.
• Mont Alto made it 6-2 when Haley Dawson (Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle-Antrim) slapped an RBI single. The Nittany Lions began rallying with a two run sixth inning to cut the deficit to 8-4.
• In the bottom of the seventh trailing, Mont Alto plated three more runs and had runners on the corners with two-outs, but the rally was stopped with a pop out.
• Kirsten Dell (Hanover, Pa. / New Oxford) had a productive second game going 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Penn State Mont Alto returns to action on Saturday, April 8 when they travel to New Kensington to complete the season series.