TARENTUM, Pa. - New Kensington softball handily secured both games of their doubleheader Monday afternoon against Penn State Greater Allegheny, improving to 3-5 on the season.
The women put up one run in the first followed by two in the fourth. New Kensington was trailing 4-3 in the fifth before bringing in three runs to end the frame leading 6-4. They ran across again in the sixth and extended to a comfortable 7-4 lead. Greater Allegheny scored the final run of the game for Penn State New Kensington to finish with the win, 7-5.
Game two was entirely controlled by New Kensington. After an early run in the first, Greater Allegheny fell behind following the impressive batting of New Kensington beginning with one run in the second. The biggest innings of the day were the third and fourth when the women produced a combined nine runs to take the 10-1 lead. They held their lead and finished the day on top 10-1, improving to 3-3 in conference action.
Game 1
Marissa Bruns (Gibsonburg, Ohio / Gibsonburg) led New Kensington through both games of the doubleheader, but her efficient pitching in game one allowed the women a strong start. Bruns threw four innings allowing four runs on three hits, including one home run. She walked two and stuck out three.
Andrea Eiler (Eau Claire, Pa. / Moniteau) came in to finish the contest for New Kensington, throwing three innings and letting up only one run on four hits. Eiler walked two and also struck out three.
Greater Allegheny began the game with a homer to take the early lead. In the bottom of the first, Illeana Ramirez (Locke, N.Y. / Moravia Central) reached on a fielder's choice for the RBI that brought in Lianna Gonzalez (New York, N.Y. / Manhattan Hunter Science) and tied the game at one. Greater Allegheny came back with a 2 RBI triple to left field that gave them the go-ahead runs.
They ran across once more in the top of the fourth to take the three-point lead. Courtney Biswick (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills) tripled a 2 RBI to bring in Taylor Hill (Milford, Pa. / Deleware Valley) and Abby Kane (Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional). One inning later, Bruns tripled to drive in Ramirez to tie the game 4-4. Bruns then scored herself for the go-ahead run.
Also in the bottom of the fifth, Elliott Ferrent (Punxsutawney, Pa. / Punxsutawney) came across the plate to add one more run. Bruns reached on an error by right field, advancing to second while Biswick came home. Greater Allegheny put one more run on the board in the top of the seventh. Smart base running allowed New Kensington to win a close contest 7-5.
Game 2
Marissa Bruns remained in the circle to continue her great day of pitching, throwing another five innings, allowing only one run on five hits. The freshman walked two while striking out four.
Penn State Greater Allegheny managed one run in the opening moments of the game on a triple to center field. This would be their sole run of the game. New Kensington responded on an Ashley Encarnacion (New York, N.Y. / Women's Academy of Excellence) single to shortstop to drive in Elliott Ferrent.
Ferrent singled an RBI in the bottom of the third to kick off New Kensington's biggest innings of scoring. New Kensington produced another run on a Molly Collins single to right field for the 3-1 lead. Abby Kane singled an RBI to advance Collins to third and drive in Ferrent. The women capitalized when Taylor Hill doubled to right-center for both Kane and Collins to score.
New Kensington took the 7-1 lead off of an Illeana Ramirez single RBI that brought in Lianna Gonzalez on an error at first base. The scoring did not stop as Ferrent singled another RBI in the bottom of the fourth for Ramirez to score.
The final points of the contest came off of a Taylor Hill double 2 RBI to right-center for Collins and Ferrent to put the game at 10-1. The women's consistent batting and fielding allowed them to end the day victorious with a convincing 10-1 win.
"Our hitting has been coming along," said Molly Collins. "We just need to learn how to hit our spots more and open gaps but other than that, everyone has been consistently hitting really well . . . we just need to find those holes in the field."
New Kensington will be back in conference play tomorrow on the road when they face off against Penn State Mont Alto. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Written by Matt Heavner, PSNK Athletics Communications Intern
