READING, PA (April 17, 2011) – The Penn State Berks softball team picked up a pair of wins, 12-4 and 7-0, over the College of St. Elizabeth in Sunday afternoon's North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) doubleheader at Hintz Athletic Field.
Berks moved above .500 for the first time this season with the sweep, improving to 15-14 overall. The Lions are now 12-6 in the NEAC Southern Division which puts them in third place, behind Wilson (13-1 NEAC South) and Penn State Harrisburg (12-2 NEAC South).
In the opening game, Casey Hafer, Marissa Ruggiero and Ashley Barbiero each registered three hits and the trio combined for nine of the runs batted in. The Lions had six doubles, three of which came from Ruggiero.
Larissa Tenley had six strikeouts in six innings of work. She surrendered four runs – one earned – but was able to work out of several jams. Tenley nearly worked out of a bases loaded, no out jam in the first inning, but an error on what should have been an inning ending groundout led to three unearned runs. The Screaming Eagles (0-14, 0-14 NEAC South) loaded up the bases in the fourth and fifth innings, but only managed one run in that time.
In the nightcap, Hafer pitched a complete game, four hit shutout. She struck out a season high eight batters, while issuing only one walk. Hafer improved her record to 3-0 and saw her ERA drop to 0.58 after tossing her first shutout of the season.
On the offensive end, Ruggiero drove in two with a single in the Nittany Lions 6-run third inning. Alyssa Stahly, Kate Harley and Shari Lynn Kluth each added an RBI.
The Nittany Lions will travel to Wilson tomorrow afternoon for a NEAC doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. The game is a makeup from yesterday's rainout.
