Mont Alto, PA. - Despite suffering a sweep in their third straight series on Sunday, the Penn State Greater Allegehny Softball team (0-12,0-12) scored a season high 18 runs as they fell to PSU Mont Alto 16-11 and 7-3. While the bats came alive, it just wasn't enough as Mont Alto found a way to respond and pick up the victories.
Game one was a slugfest throughout as both teams got on the board early. Mont Alto started the game with a four spot in the top of the first before PSUGA responded in the bottom half. After Alyssa Guzzie (Pittsburgh, PA./Fox Chapel HS) doubled to start the inning, Sam Snashell (Buffalo, NY./Charter School for Applied Tech.) came through with her second RBI single in as many days to get PSUGA on the board.
Two batters later Savanna Simms (West Mifflin, PA./West Mifflin HS) added an RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2 and Holly George (Homer City, PA./Homer-Center HS) brought her around with an RBI double cutting the lead to one. Mont Alto would add one in the second followed by two from PSUGA in the bottom of the third and the score was tied at 5-5 after three.
The scoring would slow down from there until the sixth when Mont Alto put up five in the sixth and six in the seventh to take a 16-5 lead. But PSUGA was not done as they continued to fight to try and comeback in the bottom of the seventh trying to salvage a game and get their first win of the season.
After a single and a walk started the inning, Brandy Taylor (Pittsburgh, PA./Imani Christian Academy) came through with her first career hit and RBI driving in Simm to make it a 16-6 game. A series of back-to-back bases loaded walks made it 16-8 their were back-to-back flyouts and PSUGA was down to their last out of the night.
They then got crafty and stole a run with a triple steal as Keira Williams (Penn Hills, PA./Penn Hills HS) swiped home and made it 16-9. Simm kept the rally going with a two RBI single two batters later and just like that it was a 16-11 game. However, the rally would stop there and PSUGA ended up falling by that score.
Simm led the way going 4-4 with four RBI in the loss while Taylor added a 2-4 day with two RBI. Mont Alto once again started game two hot scoring three runs in the top of the first and once again PSUGA responded right away in the bottom of the first.
After three straight singles to start the inning, George would get her team on the board with a two RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2. After Mont Alto added two runs in both the second and the third, PSUGA answered with a run in the fourth when Kiya Blair (Pittsburgh, PA./Carrick HS) reached on an error allowing Snashell to score.
That was all the offense PSUGA could muster in the second game and they would fall by the final score of 7-3 as Mont Alto completed the sweep. George had a big game in the second day of the doubleheader going 3-4 driving in two of his team's three runs on the day.
Despite the sweep, their were alot of positives to take from the weekend for PSUGA. The softball team put up their highest run total to date and rallied at key times of the game. With only two series remaining, it is time for PSUGA to fight for their first win and make a statement in 2019.
PSUGA is back in action on Friday when they host PSU-Beaver at 2 p.m. The games will be played at No-Offseason sports in Tarentum, PA.