Greater Allegheny Softball Closes Season with Two Fayette Victories

Pittsburgh, Pa. - In the final pair of Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) matches of the 2016-17 season, the Penn State Greater Allegheny women's softball team swiped their final two victories of the season over Penn State Fayette, 7-3 and 20-5.

The bottom of the first in game one resulted in a freshman catcher Sydney Fritchman (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton) doubled to score senior outfielder Shelby Bendick (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport), 1-0. Freshman third baseman Raeann Sleith (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) doubled to score Fritchman, 2-0 Greater Allegheny.

Bottom five brought a Bendick triple to score freshman second baseman Michaela Henderson (Bowie, Md./Bullis School). Fritchman sacrifice flied out to left-field to score Bendick, 4-0 GA.

Fayette got on the board in the top of the sixth with three runs before Greater Allegheny managed just that in the bottom of that inning.

Bendick doubled to score Henderson and freshman outfielder Shalonda Eley (Prosper, Texas/Prosper High). A Fritchman single scored the final run of game one as Bendick crossed home plate, 7-3 Greater Allegheny.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Lacie Lautner (Pleasant Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) faced 30 batters through her seven-inning complete game, sitting eight down on strike-out.

Bendick went 3-of-4 with three runs and three runs batted in while Fritchman went 2-of-3 with three RBI and one run herself. Sleith hit 2-of-4 with one RBI as Henderson went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

The first inning of game two was the best inning for Greater Allegheny all season, managing 12 runs after sitting down Fayette's first three batters one-two-three.

Sleith doubled to score both Bendick and freshman third baseman Morgan Lancaster (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke High). Lautner then homered to score both her and Sleith, 4-0.

Henderson singled to score freshman shortstop Savannah Simm (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) and sophomore outfielder Courtney Shadd (Hanover Park, Ill./Bartlett), 6-0. 

Fritchman singled to score Henderson and freshman left-fielder Hailey Maksin (Port Vue, Pa./South Allegheny). Lancaster was next up to single, to score Bendick. Simm wrapped up the inning with a single to score Lautner, Lancaster and Fritchman, 12-0 Greater Allegheny.

Fayette put three runs on the board in the top of the second before GA came back to bat in the bottom of the inning.

Fritchman singled to bat home Henderson before Sleith singled to score Lancaster, Fritchman and Bendick, 16-3.

Simm singled to score Sleith to put Fayette behind 17-3 after two innings.

One more run for Fayette in the third and fourth brought them to 17-5 before GA closed the game in the bottom of the fourth.

Shadd singled to score Simm before Maksin doubled to score the shortstop, 19-5. With a Henderson single, Maksin scored to put GA ahead 15 runs, 20-5.

Lautner pitched the four-inning complete game, sitting one of her 19 batters down on strike-out. At the plate, Lacie hit 1-of-2 with two RBI and two runs.

Sleith went 2-of-4 with five runs batted in and two runs scored herself. Simm went 3-of-4 with four RBI and two runs. Henderson hit 2-of-4 with three RBI and two runs while Fritchman went 2-of-4 with three RBI and two runs.

Greater Allegheny (12-12, 11-9 PSUAC) ends their season on a high-note.

Lautner currently sits second in the PSUAC with overall ERA with 2.74 and third in PSUAC and fourth in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) with strike-outs with 87. Sleith is currently fifth with batting average of .426.