LEESBURG, Fla. – Freshman
Mia Ly (Lowell, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored to help lift Plymouth State University to an 8-5 win over Ursinus College as the Panthers split a pair of softball games at THE Spring Games on Saturday.
Ly's two-run single in the second gave the Panthers a 5-0 lead in the Panthers' second game of the day. PSU would extend the advantage to 7-0 before the Bears rallied to make it a 7-5 game with the bases loaded and one down in the fourth. Sophomore
Alyssa Wilson (Haverhill, Mass.) came in to induce an inning-ending double play and the Panthers would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning to earn the win.
In the first game of the day, Plymouth State fell to Penn State Berks by a 5-1 margin. The Panthers took a quick lead in the top of the first on a run-scoring double from freshman
Madison Pelletier (New Gloucester, Maine), but the Nittany Lions would score five unanswered runs, highlighted by a three-run double in the third, to earn the win.
Plymouth State moves to 2-2 and continues its trip with games against Thomas College and Emmanuel College on Sunday (Mar. 6).
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 1, Penn State Berks 5
- Game 2: Plymouth State 8, Ursinus 5
- Plymouth State (2-2)
- Penn State Berks (1-0)
- Ursinus (1-1)
How it Happened (Penn State Berks):
- Senior Niah Colby (Lunenburg, Vt.) walked and stole second before Pelletier ripped a two-out, RBI double to give PSU a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
- The Nittany Lions used back-to-back doubles to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
- Penn State Berks jumped ahead with a bases loaded double in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead.
- Ly doubled to open the fourth and Pelletier walked to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Nittany Lions got out of the jam without allowing the runners to advance.
- PSU put two on with two down in the fifth on Colby's double and a walk to senior Lauren Archambault (Rehoboth, Mass.), but couldn't get the big hit.
- Penn State Berks tacked on a run in the fifth on solo homer.
By the Numbers (Penn State Berks):
- Ly, Colby and Pelletier all had doubles, with freshmen Jade Guertin (Burrillville, R.I.) and Kaity Montelongo (South Paris, Maine) singling for the Panthers.
- Colby and Pelletier also worked walks to reach base twice.
- Pelletier took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, over the first three innings.
- Sophomore Nicole LeBrun (Concord, N.H.) scattered two hits and allowed one run over the final three innings, striking out two along the way.
How it Happened (Ursinus):
- The Panthers plated two in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from junior Sam McCann (Berlin, N.H.) and senior Katie Burk (East Islip, N.Y.).
- PSU pushed five runs across in the second when Archambault drove in Guertin with an RBI single, and Ly followed with a two-run base hit. Archambault came around to score on a wild pitch and Ly scampered home on a single from senior Emily Picard (Berlin, N.H.) to make it 7-0.
- Ursinus got a run back in the third, then cut the margin to 7-5 with a four-run fourth. The big blow came on a bases-loaded, one-out triple. Wilson came on in relief and walked the first two batters to reload the bases but got out of the jam with a double play ball to second.
- Plymouth State got a run right back in the bottom of the inning. Archambault walked and Ly singled to start the inning and Pelletier came through with a pinch hit RBI single to make it 8-5.
- The Bears brought the tying run to the plate with two down in the sixth, but sophomore Jersey Strum (Somersworth, N.H.) escaped with an infield grounder.
- Ursinus tried to rally in the seventh after loading the bases with nobody out, but LeBrun got a double play to cut down a runner at home and struck out the final batter to pick up the save.
By the Numbers (Ursinus):
- Ly went 2-for-3, scored two runs and drove in two while also reaching base with a walk. Through four games she's batting an even .500 while slugging .750 and is tied for the team lead with four runs scored and four RBI.
- Sophomore Vanessa Bryan (Stoneham, Mass.) also had two hits for the Panthers, while Archambault reached base three times (single, two walks).
- McCann went the first 3.1, with Wilson coming on for the clutch double play to preserve the lead. Strum picked up the win after throwing two innings of two-hit ball, and LeBrun picked up her first career save.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State squares off against a pair of New England opponents tomorrow. The Panthers battle Thomas College at 1:45 p.m. ahead of a tilt with Emmanuel College at 4:00 p.m.
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