Box Score 1
AKRON, OH – Penn College dropped a pair of games in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Softball National Championship Monday on the first day of the tournament. The Wildcats fell to Penn State Brandywine, 5-3, in the opener before dropping an 8-0 decision to NHTI in the first round of the consolation bracket.
Penn College, 17-20, will play Maine-Presque Isle, 2 p.m., Tuesday in the ninth-place consolation game.
In game one,
Penn State Brandywine opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning after Arianna Segich singled, stole second and eventually scored on a wild pitch after advancing to third on a Julie Allman sacrifice.
Brandywine expanded its lead to 3-0 in the second inning when Katy Steffen and Julie Foeldes scored on a Julie Allman single to right field, after Foeldes reached on an error, and Steffen reached on a fielder's choice.
In the third inning, Brandywine added another pair of runs on an RBI double from Foeldes, scoring Steph Harvey who reached on a fielder's choice. The Lions second run came off of a Steffen single to left center, scoring Foeldes.
Penn College got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when
Taylor Brooks doubled, scoring
Taylor Krow and
Samantha Hill, who both walked in their at bats.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wildcats cut their deficit to two runs after
Elizabeth Asher scored on a fielder's choice in Hill's at bat. Asher reached on an error by the short stop and advanced to second on a throwing error.
Krow and Brooks picked up a hit each for the Wildcats, while
Amanda Kustanbauter fell to 8-8 after a complete-game effort. She surrendered five runs (two earned) on 12 hits, with two strike outs and three walks.
In game two,
NHTI jumped out to 5-0 lead after two runs in the first and three in the second. It added a run in the fourth and two in the fifth.
Gantz led the Wildcats with two hits, while Krow and
Maddie Wenk finished with a hit each.
Kustanbauter dropped to 8-9 after two innings in the circle. She allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits, with one strike out and no walks. Brooks finished the game, allowing three runs on four hits, with four strike outs and three walks.
