Lockdown Pitching and Hot Bats Fuel Doubleheader Sweep of Fayette

The GA Women's Softball team picked up its first two wins of the season against Penn State Fayette on March 23, 2021.

In Game 1, senior pitcher Tara Love (Chandler, AZ/Campo Verde HS) gave up two quick runs in the top of the first inning. She then proceeded to not allow another run cross the plate for the remainder of the game. 

Greater Allegheny waited to get its scoring started until the fifth inning, with Love helping her own cause by hitting a sacrifice fly that scored freshman Christina Pasinski (McKeesport, PA/East Allegheny HS). Seniors Alyssa Guzzie (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel HS) and Samantha Snashell (Buffalo, NY/Charter School for Applied Technology) followed up with two groundballs that scored two more runs in the inning, taking the lead 3-2. GA would not lose the lead for the rest of the game, exploding in the bottom of the 6th inning with an inside the park grand slam off the bat of Freshman Maura Ryan (Monroeville, PA/Gateway HS).  Snashell proceeded to single to center field, scoring Guzzie and Love to bring the score to 9-2, holding on for the victory in the 7th. 

Love went the distance on the mound, allowing just the 2 earned runs and striking out three in her first win of the year in the circle.

Game 2 saw GA keep rolling at the plate. Pasinski got the scoring started early in the bottom of the first inning by stealing home on a double steal of her and Ivy Mervis (Pittsburgh, PA/Taylor Allderdice HS). GA tallied on 5 more runs in the bottom of the second, starting with a bases loaded walk by Mervis to score MaKenzie Peters (Beech Creek, PA/Central Mountain HS). Ryan followed it up with a "too hot to handle" groundball to the short stop that snuck through the gap, scoring both Pasinski and Kennedy Henderson (Missouri City, TX/Elkins HS). Love then doubled to deep center field to score Mervis, followed by an RBI single by Guzzie to score Ryan. 

GA tacked on 4 more runs in the bottom of the 4th thanks to an RBI walk by Pasinski, and RBI singles by both Mervis and Ryan, rounding out the scoring for the day at 10-0.

Ryan picked up her first collegiate win in the circle, allowing just one hit and striking out nine in her five innings of work. She also earned the complete game shutout in the effort.

The GA softball team moves to 2-2 on the season and in the conference. They hope to build on the winning streak when they take on Penn State Beaver on their first road trip of the season on Friday, March 26th at 2pm and 4pm. 

-Danielle Kochka