Mont Alto Softball Captures PSUAC West Regular Season Title with Sweep over PSU Greater Allegheny

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

MONT ALTO, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto softball team was in action Friday afternoon and they won a narrow 3-2 decision before sweeping the doubleheader with a 10-4 victory over Penn State Greater Allegheny. With the pair of victories, PSUMA improved to 18-6 overall and 17-5 in conference as they also captured the PSUAC Regular Season title. In between games, the Mont Alto softball program honored its graduating sophomore Leah Blount (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area) for her outstanding accomplishments both in the classroom and on the diamond.

Penn State Mont Alto 3, Penn State Greater Allegheny 2 (F-7)

• Mont Alto scored first in the bottom of the first frame when Destiny Hall (McConnellsburg, Pa. / McConnellsburg) doubled home Kirsten Dell (Hanover, Pa. / New Oxford). The Nittany Lions made it 2-0 an inning later when Karli Snyder (Leetown, W.Va. / Jefferson) rocketed an RBI single to center field.
• Dell mowed down the PSU Greater Allegheny hitters until stumbling into trouble within the sixth inning. She earned the first two outs of the inning but after a walk and an error, two runs scored to tie it up 2-2.
• Penn State Mont Alto showed their resilience with the walk-off win which occurred when Destiny Hall (McConnellsburg, Pa. / McConnellsburg) singled as Michia Herman (Orbisonia, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon) scored the winning run. Kirsten Dell (Hanover, Pa. / New Oxford) earned her eighth win of the season in the pitching circle giving up just one earned run while striking out seven opponents.

Penn State Mont Alto 10, Penn State Greater Allegheny 4 (F-7)

• PSUGA came out swinging in the nightcap of Friday's doubleheader scoring four runs in the first two innings. The Mont Alto lineup was up for the challenge as the combined for 14 hits and ended up scoring five runs of their own over the course of the first two innings.
• After Katie McCauslin (Biglerville, Pa. / Biglerville) was timed up well by the visitors, Emily Bittinger (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area) came into the game in her relief and had her best appearance of the season striking out nine across 5.2 innings of work. The lefty only allowed one Greater Allegheny hit.
• McKenna Sas (Canyon County, Calif. / Canyon County) had another outstanding performance finishing 4-for-4 with three doubles and a pair of RBIs. The freshman outfielder is second in the entire USCAA hitting .512 this season with 31 RBIs, which also is a team best.
• Skye Herring (Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove Area) also had a two-RBI performance in the Mont Alto win with senior Brooklyn Wagner (Newville, Pa. Big Spring) finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI double.

Mont Alto is slated to return to action on Wednesday, April 27 with a road doubleheader at Penn State Schuylkill. Game times are 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.