Big Bats Pave the Way for GA Softball to Sweep Penn State Brandywine

Pittsburgh, Pa. - Through 12 innings of Penn State University Athletic Conference play, the Penn State Greater Allegheny women's softball team took their first two wins in the conference over Penn State Brandywine, Saturday afternoon, as GA rolled to a 9-8 and 18-8 set of victories.

Brandywine was the first on the board in game one, as they tallied a run to open up the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Shelby Bendick (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport Area) singled to get on base before senior Casey Naylor (Glassport, Pa./South Allegheny) walked to get two on. Junior infielder Kelli Hall (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) doubled to right center field to bring in Bendick, advancing Naylor. Sophomore infielder Ashley Lowenstein (San Jose, Calif./Presentation) singled, bringing in Naylor. Junior infielder Jordyn Holsing (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) singled then advanced to second on the throw as both Lowenstein and Hall crossed home plate, GA now ahead 4-1.

Brandywine managed to post four runs in the top of the next inning, putting Greater Allegheny down a run and making it an even closer match-up. In the bottom of the third, Holsing smacked a sacrifice fly ball to center field, batting in Naylor to tie the game at five. 

The top of the fourth inning saw three more Brandywine runs before the next four outings went scoreless. The bottom of the sixth saw two Greater Allegheny athletes reaching base on error. As Bendick reached, she batted in Brisbon, making the score 8-6 Brandywine.

Brandywine failed to notch another point through game one as Greater Allegheny dropped three more in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman infielder Marina Rinaldi (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia High School for Girls) singled bringing both Holsing and Lowenstein across home plate. Bendick was the last at bat, as she singled to bring home senior Sam Segiel (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) to notch the 9th and winning run.

Greater Allegheny took game one 9-8 as Segiel grabbed her second win on the season. Lowenstein went 3-for-4 at the plate as she scored two runs and batted one in. Holsing went 2-for-3 alongside scoring one run and batting three in.

Brandywine started game one as they went scoreless in the top of the first inning. Bendick singled, advancing on the throw to second as both freshman Kasey Dansak (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport Area) and Lowenstein notch the first tallies on the board. Holsing added the last tally of the inning as Greater Allegheny found themselves ahead of Brandywine, 3-0. Brandywine matched GA with three in the top of the second before the home team came out huge.

Bendick came to bat with bases loaded as she smacked a single, reigning in freshman outfielder Adrielle Brisbon (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly). Holsing singled to bring in Lowenstein before Segiel reached on an error, sending Dansak home. Naylor was next to single as she brought home Holsing and Bendick. Big-timer Rinaldi homered to end the scoring drive, reigning in both Naylor and Segiel, Greater Allegheny ahead 11-3.

Brandywine exited the top of the third scoreless and Greater Allegheny managed to dump a few more. Segiel doubled to add Dansak and Lowenstein to the scoring drive. Holsing was sent home by Naylor, GA now leading 14-3.

Brandywine dumped five more as Greater Allegheny was silenced until the bottom of the fifth. Rinaldi noted her second home run on the day, as she hammered a grand slam brought in Naylor, Segiel and Holsing. Greater Allegheny found themselves propelled over Brandywine, 18-8 after five innings of action, boosting them to their second win on the day.

Both Dansak and Lowenstein went 3-for-4 at the plate alongside adding three runs each. Holsing went 3-for-4 along with dropping four runs and one RBI. Rinaldi went 2-for-4 in game two, dropping two runs and seven RBI's. Bendick went on to earn her second win of the season, allowing three hits through the five innings pitched.

Greater Allegheny (4-4, 2-2) gets ready for another PSUAC match-up for Sunday afternoon, as Penn State Schyulkill comes to Woodland Hills for a double-header. The first pitch is set for 12 p.m.