MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College softball team lost a pair of games to Penn State Harrisburg in its non-conference finale on Sunday afternoon. The Falcons dropped game one, 6-1, and the fell 12-1 in five innings in game two.

Game One – Penn State Harrisburg 6, Cedar Crest 1

The Falcons jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first when first-year Kylie Mastillo (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono) drove in junior Laney Ferraro (Philadelphia, Pa./New Foundations Charter) with a base hit to left field to put Cedar Crest ahead, 1-0.

The Lions answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. Senior Madelyn Lehigh (Harrisburg) drove in sophomore Ashley Elefante (Cream Ridge, N.J.) with a single up the middle and then first-year Madisen Minney (Lititz, Pa.) delivered a two-run triple to left field to make the score 3-1.

After a scoreless third, Penn State Harrisburg pushed three more across in the fourth. Lehigh got things started with a single through the right side to bring home junior Mackenzie Fisher (Dauphin, Pa.). Junior Rylee Martinez (Norwalk, Calif.) would come home on a throwing error, and then senior Olivia Herncane (State College, Pa.) scored on an infield single to extend the margin to five, 6-1, the eventual final.

Senior Carissa Yeager (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) collected the win in the circle for the Lions, tossing five innings and only allowing one run on four hits while walking just one.

First-year Alexis Acevedo (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) was tagged with the loss, surrendering six runs (one earned) on 10 hits to go along with four walks and a strikeout.
Lehigh guided Penn State Harrisburg at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Minney followed with a 2-for-4 game with a pair of RBI. Fisher finished the contest 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Junior Kierstyn Smith (Millersburg, Pa.) was the final Lion to register multiple hits, going 2-for-3.

Junior Taylor Faw (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie) led the Falcons with a pair of hits while junior Natalie Hasert (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township), senior Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter), and first-year Kylie Mastillo (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono) each had one.

Game Two – Penn State Harrisburg 12, Cedar Crest 1 (Five Innings)

Penn State Harrisburg started fast with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Martinez chipped in an RBI single to center field to plate Fisher.  Sophomore Cara Biesecker (Maytown, Pa.) then contributed a base-clearing double to left center to make the score 4-0.

The Lions tacked on four more in the second. Minney hit a three-run home run to left field and then sophomore Emily Cutman (Palmyra, Pa.) connected on a two-bagger to left field, brining home Martinez to increase the lead to 8-0.

Penn State Harrisburg added four additional runs in the third to push the score to 12-0.

Cedar Crest registered its run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double to left center by Kline, plating Hasert for the 12-1 final.

Sophomore Kylee Miller (Chambersburg, Pa.) was credited with the win in the circle, striking out four over five innings.

First-year Erin Gray (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) was given the loss, giving up eight runs on six hits while fanning one and walking four.

Minney had a big game, going 2-for-3 with five RBI and three runs scored for the Lions.

Hasert and Kline tallied a hit each for the Falcons.

Cedar Crest (16-16 overall) jumps back into conference play with a doubleheader at Penn State Abington on Wednesday, April 16 starting at 3:00 p.m. Penn State Harrisburg (15-8 overall) next faces Saint Elizabeth University in a road twinbill on Tuesday, April 15 at 3:00 p.m.