ALFRED, N.Y. – Penn College knocked off Alfred State 23-16 in eight innings in a non-conference softball game Wednesday. Due to the length of the first game, the nightcap of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed after the top of the third inning due to darkness. The Wildcats improved to 5-4, while the Pioneers fell to 3-10.
The game featured a combined 28 hits between the teams, and a combined 36 walks between four pitchers.
The Wildcats began their onslaught in the first inning when
Kelsey Gantz smacked a two-run single to center and
Maddie Wenk knocked in another run with a sacrifice to right to give Penn College a 3-0 lead. Alfred evened the game in the second inning with three runs, before the Wildcats pumped in eight runs in the third and one in the fourth.
Gantz picked up two more RBI and
Elizabeth Asher brought in two runs, while
Tiana McCormick,
Taylor Brooks and
Devin Heimbach all brought in a run in the third and fourth innings.
Alfred added a run in the fourth before an error, and
Samantha Starner RBI single in the fifth gave Penn College a 14-4 lead. The Pioneers quickly closed the gap in the bottom of the fifth with seven runs to make it 14-11, and evened the game in the bottom of the seventh with three runs to send the game into extra innings.
The Wildcats pumped in nine runs in the top of the eight to go ahead 23-14.
Lauren Stehman and Wenk both batted in two runs in the frame, while Asher, McCormick and Heimbach knocked in a run each.
Wenk and Starner both finished with three hits and two RBI for the Wildcats. Gantz went 2 for 6 with four RBI, while Heimbach and Asher each finished with two hits each.
Taylor Brooks fired 4.2 innings and left with the lead after striking out seven, walking 13 and surrendering nine earned runs. Stehman improved to 3-1 in 3.1 innings of relief, with four Ks, four free bases and seven runs surrendered (six earned).
Penn College begins conference play Saturday, 1 p.m., at SUNY Poly.
