New Kensington, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Softball team (0-18, 0-18) combined to score a season high 11 runs in their doubleheader with Penn State New Kensington (10-20, 6-12) on Monday, but it wasn’t enough as they dropped both halves of the doubleheader 5-4 and 11-7. They were competitive in both games but just couldn’t string together hits and fell to 0-18 on the season.
After falling behind 1-0 early in game one, PSUGA was able to tie the game in the top of the fourth after Tara Love (Chandler, AZ./Campo Verde HS) tripled to start the inning. Brandy Taylor (Pittsburgh, PA./Imani Christian Academy) came through with an RBI groundout that tied the game at 1-1. PSUGA would take the lead the very next inning when Holly George (Homer City, PA./Homer-Center HS) brought a run home on a groundout and PSGUA had their first lead of the day sitting at 2-1.
However, PSU-New Kensington would force extra innings scoring another run in the bottom of the sixth and forcing an eighth inning. PSUGA After Savanna Simm (West Mifflin, PA./West Mifflin HS) was placed on second and moved to third with one out, Love came through with an RBI single giving PSUGA a 3-2 lead. PSUGA would get an insurance run when Love came home on an error following a Taylor single and PSUGA found themselves ahead with a chance to score their first win of the season.
PSUGA would get the first two outs of the inning and were one out away from a win, but New Kensington had runners on first and second. It would take just one swing of the bat to turn the game on it’s head as New Kensington’s Lauren Torgent blasted a three-run walk-off home run that gave New Kensington a game one doubleheader win. Love led the offense going 2-3 with an RBI and after a heartbreaking loss, Love would look to lead her team in game two.
After PSU-New Kensington jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, PSUGA would once again find a way to fight back and take the lead. Love would immediately tie the game in the top of the second when Love lifted her first collegiate home run to tie the game at 1-1. They would take the lead with two outs in the inning when George picked up a two-RBI single and PSUGA found themselves in front 3-1 after 1.5 innings.
However, New Kensington responded with a solo run in the third, three in the fourth, and five in the fifth to build a 10-3 lead after four innings. PSUGA would get two in the top of the fifth on back-to-back bases loaded walks by Sam Snashell (Buffalo, NY./Charter School for Applied Tech.) and Haley Snyder (Connelsville, PA./Connelsville HS) that brought the deficit back to 10-5. New Ken would add another run in the sixth and PSUGA was looking to make a comeback down six entering the seventh.
After Taylor singled to start the inning, Ivy Mervis (Pittsburgh, PA./Allderdice HS) got to third on an error and scored Taylor to make it an 11-6 game. Love added an RBI single, but it wasn’t enough as PSUGA fell once again by the final score of 11-7. Love once again led the offense going 2-3 with two RBI and has driven in three in the series. Snashell added a 1-3 effort with one RBI.
PSUGA has two more games left in their 2019 season when they wrap up their series with PSU-New Kensington on Tuesday. PSUGA is looking to avoid a winless season and head into the 2019 off-season with some momentum for next year.
First pitch for Tuesday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. followed by game two at 3 p.m. The games will be played at No-Offseason sports located at 1590 Saxonburg Boulevard Tarentum, PA.
