Greater Allegheny Softball Suffers Two Conference Losses to Fayette

Hopwood, Pa. - Despite big bats at the plate, the Penn State Greater Allegheny women's softball team suffered two losses to Penn State University Athletic Conference foe Penn State Fayette, Wednesday evening, by the scores of 17-8 and 9-8.

Penn State Fayette was the first on the board in game one, as they managed three in the bottom of the first inning. The second inning went scoreless on both sides of the ball before GA left their mark in the top of the third. Sophomore infielder Ashley Lowenstein (San Jose, Calif./Presentation) singled down the left field line before junior infielder Jordyn Holsing (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) singled to bat Lowenstein home, 3-1 Fayette. Sophomore outfielder Shelby Bendick (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport Area) doubled down the left field line followed by a senior pitcher Sam Segiel (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) double down the right field line, batting in both Holsing and Bendick, the game now tied at three.

Fayette attained another run before Greater Allegheny was back in the batters box in the top of the fourth. Both freshman infielder Marina Rinaldi (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia High School for Girls) and junior infielder Kelli Hall (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport Area) get a spot on base by each of them managing a single down the left side. Lowenstein was next up, as she slammed a double to right center, ushering both Rinaldi and Hall home. Bendick doubled down the left field line, welcoming home both Lowenstein and freshman catcher Kasey Dansak (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport). Segiel was the final batter to assist notch a tally, as she reached first on an error and pushed Holsing home, Greater Allegheny leading 8-5.

Fayette would not back down, as they tallied 13 unanswered runs through three innings of play to cut the game short after the bottom of the sixth inning. Greater Allegheny fell in game one by a score of 17-8. GA managed to slug eleven hits, but was just not enough to overcome the late game thrive.

Lowenstein went 3-for-4 at the plate, notching two runs herself and two runs batted in. Alongside seeing seeing 44 batters in her pitching stint, Segiel went 2-for-3 as she batted in two runs. Bendick also assisted her team by going 2-for-4 in the box, along with contributing one run and two RBI's.

Fayette was first on the board again in game two, as the home team tallied two runs. The second inning went scoreless before Greater Allegheny made their presence known in the top of the third inning. Bendick hammered a three-run homer to center field, delivering both Dansak and Lowenstein across home plate - Greater Allegheny now leading 3-2. Fayette stole home in the bottom of the third at three before GA took the lead back in the top of the next inning.

Hall and senior outfielder Casey Naylor (Glassport, Pa./South Allegheny) reached home as Hall singled, advancing both all the way to the bag to notch both tallies. The innings went silent until Fayette notched two more in the bottom of the sixth.

Dansak doubled, as she advanced two bases on Fayette fielding errors, sending not only herself but Lowenstein and freshman outfielder Adrielle Brisbon (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly) as well, GA 8-5. Fayette managed to hold Greater Allegheny scoreless through the final two innings of action, as Fayette capped off the game with a homer down the right field line.

Despite recording 13 hits, Greater Allegheny went on to fall to PSUAC foe Fayette, 9-8, in game two. Both Lowenstein and Dansak went 2-for-4 at the plate, both recording two runs apiece and Dansak grabbed 2 RBI's. Bendick also went 2-for-4 but she recorded one run and three RBI's. Greater Allegheny, now 8-6, 6-4 PSUAC, look onward to Saturday as Penn College comes to Woodland Hills for a set of double-header conference match-ups. First pitch in game one is set for 1 p.m.