MEDIA, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College softball team was swept by Penn State Brandywine in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at the Maple Zone. The Falcons dropped game one 5-4 in nine innings before losing game two 9-1 in six innings.

Game One – Penn State Brandywine 5, Cedar Crest 4 (Final - Nine innings)

Penn State Brandywine tallied three runs in the second inning. Junior Crystal Cassario (Levittown, Pa.) got things started with a double to center field, driving in first-year April Lewandowski (Atco, N.J.). The Nittany Lions added another tally when Cassario came around on a throwing error. First-year Emily Reagan (Harrisburg, Pa.) delivered the final run in the frame with a double down the left field line, plating senior Lianna DeDios (Elmwood Park, N.J.) for the 3-0 advantage.

Penn State Brandywine tacked on another run in the bottom of the third when senior Payton Landis (Coatesville, Pa.) hit a sacrifice fly to left field, which brought home junior Meghan Ferry (Gloucester City, N.J.) for the 4-0 lead.

The Falcons got a run back in the sixth inning after first-year Natalie Hasert (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township) connected on a base-hit to right field, driving in senior Reilly Mateljan (Friedens, Pa./Somerset Area) to make the score 4-1.

Cedar Crest made a rally in the seventh, scoring three runs to tie the contest at four apiece. Sophomore Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter) doubled in graduate student Delaney VanBuskirk (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge). First-year Taylor Faw (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie) brought home Kline on a two-bagger to left field. The Falcons knotted the game when senior Brianna Lankford (Hanover, Pa./South Western Senior) drove in graduate student Ashley Heller (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) with a sacrifice fly to left field.

The game eventually went to extras and the Nittany Lions scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth. After sophomore Jess James (Yardley, Pa.) stole third and DeDios reached on a throwing error, Reagan reached on a fielder's choice bunt, which scored James for the 5-4 victory.

Sophomore Maddie DeFazio (Fairless Hills, Pa.) secured the win in the circle for Penn State Brandywine. She tossed the final 2.2 innings and did not allow a hit while striking out one. Junior Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) was credited with the loss for the Falcons. She gave up five runs (two earned) on seven hits. She walked four and fanned four in the loss.

Kline paced Cedar Crest, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Game Two – Penn State Brandywine 9, Cedar Crest 1 (Final - Six innings)

Penn State Brandywine tallied a pair of runs over the first two frames. First-year Kaylee Mushinski (Allentown, N.J.) drove in Ferry with a double to left center in the first inning and then DeDios reached on a fielder's choice in the second, which allowed Lewandowski to cross home for the 2-0 advantage.

The Falcons registered its lone run in the top of the third when Heller singled in first-year Laney Ferraro (Philadelphia, Pa./New Foundations Charter).

The Nittany Lions recorded a single run in the next three innings and added four in the sixth to build a 9-1 score, the eventual final.

Lewandowski was victorious in the circle for Penn State Brandywine. She tossed all six innings and gave up one run on three hits while striking out three and walking one.

Mundy was tagged with the loss for Cedar Crest. She surrendered nine runs on 13 hits while striking out two and walking three.

Mushinski and Lewandowski led the way for the Nittany Lions with three hits apiece.

Heller, senior Renee Snyder (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), and Faw registered a hit each for the Falcons.

Cedar Crest (1-7 overall) will next play on Wednesday, March 22 at Eastern University in a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. Penn State Brandywine (7-3 overall) will stay at home to host Haverford College on Thursday, March 23 in a twinbill beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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