MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Penn State Harrisburg's softball team opened the 2022 campaign with a pair of non-conference contests in Myrtle Beach on Sunday morning, March 6. The Lions dropped a hard-fought 8-5 decision to Gettysburg in the opener before bouncing back in a 6-5 victory over Kean in the nightcap. 

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg (0-1) led for much of the team's season opener against Gettysburg (1-0) but the Bullets used a big sixth inning to erase an early deficit and come away with a victory on Sunday morning. 

Delaney Nevius got the season's scoring started in the bottom of the first with a two-out single to center field that drove in Olivia Herncane from second base.

After a pair of scoreless innings in the second and third, Gettysburg got going with two runs in the top of the fourth. The Lions answered back in the bottom half, however, with Madelyn Krantz's bases-loaded single plating Samantha Weaver before Madelyn Lehigh doubled to left field to clear the bases and put her team back in front 5-2.

The Bullets got one back in the top of the fifth but the damage came in the sixth when they used five hits, a hit by pitch, and walk to score five runs and nab an 8-5 lead that would hold up the rest of the way. 

GAME 2

A big first inning set the tone for Penn State Harrisburg (1-1) in the team's thrilling 6-5 victory over Kean (4-2) on Sunday afternoon. 

The Cougars plated the game's first run in the top of the first but the Lions responded with a big bottom half, scoring four runs thanks to four hits and an error. Steph Reider drove in the team's first run with a double that brought Madelyn Lehigh across, McKenzie Boozel worked a bases-loaded walk to push Delaney Nevius across, and Madeline English's single down the left field line drove in Reider, and Olivia Herncane to make it 4-1.

Yeager kept the Bullets off the board for the next three frames and the Lions added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Lehigh plated Krysten Moore from second base with a single and Reider's base knock two at-bats later plated Lehigh to stretch the advantage to five runs. 

Gettysburg made a charge in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, scoring one run in each stanza. The Bullets nearly completed the comeback attempt, tacking on two more in the top of the seventh but pitcher Carissa Yeager got back-to-back fly balls to strand a runner on first base and end the game.

NOTABLES

- Steph Raider went 2-for-3 with a walk against Gettysburg. 

- McKenzie Boozel was the second Lion to have a multi-hit game against the Bullets.

- Madelyn Lehigh drove in a game-high three runs in the opener.

- Carissa Yeager earned the win inside the circle against Kean, allowing just two runs on four hits in six innings thrown.

- Boozel went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk in the game-two win.

- Reider finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored against the Cougars.

- Madelyn Krantz also went 2-for-4 in the nightcap. 

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions continue their spring break slate in Myrtle Beach with another doubleheader on Monday afternoon, facing Eureka at 3:30 p.m. before wrapping up the day's action against St. Elizabeth at 5:30 p.m.

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