CHAMBERSBURG, PA (April 30, 2011) – The Penn State Berks softball teams bid for the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Southern Division title came to an end in a 6-0 setback to top seed Wilson College on Saturday afternoon.
Berks defeated No. 2 seed Penn State Harrisburg, 3-0, in the morning to advance to the championship game.
The Phoenix scored three in the first and jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in the second inning. The Nittany Lions were able to get base runners in the latter part of the game, but were unable to get them to cross the plate. Berks stranded two in the fifth inning and left the bases loaded in their final two at-bats.
Casey Hafer was 2 for 4 with a double. Marissa Ruggiero and Kate Harley each singled to record the other Berks hits.
Hafer pitched three innings of one hit, scoreless relief. She recorded two strikeouts. Brittany Hicks, playing in her final game with the Nittany Lions, pitched the final two innings. She had allowed three hits and struck out two.
Hicks concluded her magnificent career as the all-time leader in hits, at-bats, runs scored, RBI, doubles and total bases. Hicks is a career .337 hitter and has been named to the All-NEAC First Team each of the past three seasons.
In the win over Harrisburg to start the day, Ruggiero and Dayna Harrison propelled the Nittany Lions. Ruggiero was 2 for 3 with and scored two runs, while Harrison provided two RBI.
Larissa Tenley came through clutch with another complete game shutout from the pitcher's circle. Tenley scattered five hits and struck out one. She did not allow a runner beyond second base.
The Nittany Lions finished the season with an 18-19 overall record. Six players were named to the all-conference teams and Mandy McClune was named the NEAC Southern Division Co-Coach of the Year.
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