Greater Allegheny Softball Splits with PSUAC Foe, Penn College

Pittsburgh, Pa. - The Penn State Greater Allegheny women's softball team hosted Penn State University Athletic Conference foe, Penn College, Saturday afternoon, as GA fell in game one 5-3 and overcame in game two, 8-7.

Game one went scoreless until Greater Allegheny was the first on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman outfielder Marina Rinaldi (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia High School for Girls) doubled to right field, driving in junior infielder Jordyn Holsing (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward), sophomore infielder Ashley Lowenstein (San Jose, Calif./Presentation) and sophomore pitcher Shelby Bendick (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport Area). These three runs would be the only of the game for Greater Allegheny, as Penn College notched four runs in the top of the fifth and another in the top of the sixth.

Bendick saw 30 batters through seven innings, letting up just five runs. Lowenstein went 2-for-3 at the plate and crossed home plate once. 

Penn College came out strong in the top of the first inning as they dropped three runs to put Greater Allegheny in the hole. Lowenstein was first to bat in the bottom of the first as she homered to left field, GA 3-1. Greater Allegheny came out strong in the bottom of the second, taking the lead from Penn College. Lowenstein doubled to left field, scoring both freshman outfielder Adrielle Brisbon (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly) and junior infielder Kelli Hall (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport). Freshman catcher Kasey Dansak (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) doubled, batting in Lowenstein, GA ahead 4-3.

Greater Allegheny tacked on another run, as Rinaldi homered to left field, advancing the score to 5-3. Penn College tied the game at five in their next outing in the top of the fourth, managing two runs. The bottom of the fifth saw a Bendick double to right field, scoring Dansak and Lowenstein and regaining the lead, 7-5.

Penn College answered Greater Allegheny's two runs with another two runs to even the score at seven. Greater Allegheny entered the bottom of the seventh eager to try and take the lead and finish the game in seven innings. Rinaldi answered with a single to left field, batting in Dansak and taking the second game by walk-off by a score of 8-7.

Dansak went 4-for-4 from the plate, scoring two runs and batting another in. Lowenstein went 3-for-4, scoring three runs herself and ushered three more across home plate. Bendick completed her second game on the day, as she faced 39 batters through seven innings.

Greater Allegheny, now 9-7 and 7-5 PSUAC, takes a few days off before they host PSUAC rival, Penn State Beaver, Thursday afternoon. The double-header at Woodland Hills is scheduled for a first pitch at 4 p.m.