Malek walk-off at regionals
Tyler Schueck
4
Susquehanna SUSSB 29-16
5
Winner Penn State Berks PSBW 29-8
Susquehanna SUSSB
29-16
4
Final
5
Penn State Berks PSBW
29-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Susquehanna SUSSB 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 4 6 0
Penn State Berks PSBW 0 3 0 1 0 0 1 5 11 1

W: Rozick, Jess (18-4) L: J.Fesinstine (14-9)

5
Winner Ithaca ITHACA 33-11
3
Penn State Berks PSBW 29-9
Winner
Ithaca ITHACA
33-11
5
Final
3
Penn State Berks PSBW
29-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Ithaca ITHACA 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 5 16 1
Penn State Berks PSBW 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 1

W: Grage (7-2) L: Miller, Val (6-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball's magical run comes to end at Regionals

ITHACA, N.Y. - The Penn State Berks softball team won for the first time in the NCAA Regional Tournament after a walk off home run by Ashley Malek in a 5-4 victory over Susquehanna University in the first game of Saturday afternoon. But the Nittany Lions saw its magnificent 2017 campaign draw to a close in a 5-3 setback to Ithaca College later in the day at Kostrinsky Field.

In the opener against Susquehanna, Berks pounded out 11 hits that included solo home runs by Heather Rissell and Malek. Rissell's homer, a line drive over the fence in left field, knotted the game at 4-all in the bottom of the fourth. The score remained that way until the bottom of the seventh, with the Nittany Lions down to its final out of the inning. Malek strolled to the plate and unleashed a bomb that was a sure-thing homer off the bat that put the entire team into a frenzy as they celebrated a monumental win.

The scoring opened up for Berks in the bottom of the second inning when they strung together a group of hits. Carley Smith led off the inning with a single to left and Kendel Reed had a one-out single to put runners on first and second. With two outs, senior Madison Newhouser lifted a single to shallow left to plate Smith with the first run of the game. After Newhouser stole second base to put runners on second and third, Jenna Heffner delivered a single up the middle to bring in both Reed and Newhouser to build a 3-0 lead.

Susquehanna went to work in the top of the third with three hits that eventually evened the game at 3-all. A leadoff solo homer in the top of the fourth gave the River Hawks a brief 4-3 advantage. But Rissell's shot in the bottom half of the inning quickly tied the game back up at 4-all.

Jessica Rozick again gutted out a strong performance in the pitcher's circle to lead the Nittany Lions to the victory. Rozick scattered six hits and allowed four runs (three earned), while striking out four batters. The sophomore right-hander set down the batters in order in the first, second, and fifth innings. In the top of the sixth, Rozick recorded two quick outs before surrendering a walk. The next batter added a single and the runner on first moved up to second, but wondered off the bag. Smith took the relay throw and pegged the runner leaning off the bag to end the inning and swing the momentum back into Berks' favor.

After the celebration following Malek's heroics, the team had to turn around quickly to take on No. 20 ranked Ithaca for the second time in two days.

The Bombers struck first with one run in the top of the first inning. Things could have been worse, as Ithaca had runners on second and third and were poised to have a big inning, but lefty Val Miller forced a routine fly to right to get out of the jam.

In the bottom half of the first, Heffner set the tone with an infield single and quickly moved into scoring position by stealing second. Chelsea Bright followed with a sharp grounder to first, Heffner broke on contact and beat the throw to third base to put runners on the corners with no outs. Bright then stole second base and Megan Olsen drew a one-out walk that loaded up the bases. Smith grounded out to third base to bring in Heffner with the first run and Becca Faust added an infield single to score Bright, giving Berks a 2-1 lead.

Ithaca manufactured a run in the top of the third to tie it at 2-all and had runners on first and third with just one out. Miller got a ground out to Bright at third base and recorded a strikeout looking to escape the inning and left two runners stranded in scoring position.

Malek led off the bottom half of the third with a solo shot to center field to give Berks a 3-2 lead. The homer was Malek's second of the day and fifth of the season.

The Bombers got a run back in the sixth to tie the score at 3-3. They tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh with a single down the left field line.

Berks battled until the final out of the game with three hard hit balls, but the Ithaca defense was there to make the play and secure the win.

The Nittany Lions complete the 2017 season with a record of 29-9 and won the NEAC Championship for the fourth time in the last five years. The senior core will go down as the most successful to ever play for the softball program. Newhouser, playing her final collegiate season of her career with Berks, gave a strong year at the plate with her blazing speed and provided a solid glove all year in left field. The group of Bright, Heffner, and Olsen have been four-year standouts that were able to take the program to an all new level during their tenure. The trio has etched their names all over the record books, while also adding a level of leadership that will be nearly impossible to replace.
 
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