2015 Softball Champions
3
Keuka KEUW 18-8
11
Winner Penn State Berks PSBW 18-12
Keuka KEUW
18-8
3
Final
11
Penn State Berks PSBW
18-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Keuka KEUW 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 6 2
Penn State Berks PSBW 0 0 2 1 1 7 11 18 0

W: Hafer, Casey (7-7) L: Brianna Bush (8-5)

4
Penn State Abington PSAS 0
5
Winner Penn State Berks PSBW 0
Penn State Abington PSAS
0
4
Final
5
Penn State Berks PSBW
0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Penn State Abington PSAS 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 8 1
Penn State Berks PSBW 4 0 1 0 0 0 5 10 3

Game Recap: Softball |

Nittany Lions threepeat as NEAC Softball Champs

READING, PA (May 3, 2015) - The Penn State Berks softball team pulled off a wild 5-4 win over Penn State Abington to earn its third consecutive North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championship on Sunday afternoon at Hintz Athletic Field.

The Nittany Lions defeated Keuka College, 11-3, in the morning to advance to the championship and sit in the driver's seat as the only undefeated team.

In the title game, the Nittany Lions (19-12) had a one-run lead with two outs and a runner on first in the top of the seventh when Abington sent to the plate one of its top sluggers in Breanna Lineman, who finished the tournament 10-for-22 (.455 batting average) with two home runs, seven RBI, and six runs scored. Megan Olsen kept her composure and worked ahead to a 1-2 count and Lineman fouled the next pitch into the backstop. Olsen then unleashed a fast ball up in the zone that Lineman swung through and everyone on the Berks roster met at the pitcher's circle to celebrate.

Olsen tossed a complete-game, allowing eight hits while striking out four batters to improve to 10-1 this season. The sophomore right-hander was able to gain some redemption, as her one loss was to Penn State Abington in early April.

A pair of errors led to an Abington run in the top of the first inning, but Berks came roaring back with four runs in their half of the inning. Ashley Malek, who was named the NEAC Tournament MVP, smacked a three-run home run to left field to put the Nittany Lions ahead 3-1. For the tournament, Malek had a .500 batting average (5-for-10) with a double, a homer, five RBI, five runs scored, a .900 slugging percentage, and a .545 on-base percentage.

Julia Moscato followed Malek's homer with a walk and advanced to second a ground out before scoring on a double off the left field fence by Rhianna Roulston to cap the scoring in the first.

Over the next two innings, both teams exchanged runs to make it 5-2 in Berks' favor. Then things got interesting as Abington plated a pair of runners in the top of the fifth inning. Both teams had a run erased in the fifth inning. Abington had a sacrifice fly to center field and the runner crossed the plate well ahead of the throw, but after an appeal she was called out for leaving early. In the bottom of the inning, Berks had a runner score on a grounder that snuck past the second baseman, but the runner advancing from first base was called out for interference.

Olsen sat Abington down in order in the top of the sixth. In the seventh, the first batter of the inning flew out to right field before Danielle Jones, who was a tough out all tournament, singled to right center and represented the tying run. The next batter hit a sharp grounder to third that Mackenzie Huber fielded and got the force out at second base. Then Olsen won her battle with Lineman to seal the victory.

Malek finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Jenna Heffner had three hits, a stolen base, and scored a run. Casey Hafer went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Roulston added two  hits and RBI.

In the morning win over Keuka, Heffner and Huber each went 4-for-4 with a triple to lead the Nittany Lion offense that pounded out 18 hits. Heffner added an RBI and two runs scored, while Huber recorded two RBI and scored a run. Moscato went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored. Hafer, Olsen, and Roulston each recorded two hits.

Hafer scattered six hits and allowed three runs in 6.0 innings of work to earn her seventh win of the season.

Berks trailed 3-0 before the offense finally started generating some hits. They got on the board when Moscato drove in two runs with a double in the bottom of the third. An RBI single by Huber in the fourth tied it and Olsen put Berks ahead with an RBI single in the fifth. Then in the sixth inning the Nittany Lions put the game away with seven runs and the game was halted due to the mercy rule.

The Nittany Lions will find out what region they will be heading to and their first round opponent during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, May 4 at 10 a.m.




 
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