NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. - New Kensington softball split their home opener Saturday afternoon against Penn State Fayette at Arconic Field.
The women had a strong defensive start in game one holding Penn State Fayette to no runs. New Kensington contributed two runs, coming in the third and sixth to finish with their first win of the season, 2-0.
New Kensington kept up the fight in game two falling behind by seven runs in the first. Penn State Fayette ran across four times in the second and twice in the third when the women responded with one run. Penn State Fayette went scoreless in the fourth and New Kensington put up four runs before Penn State Fayette added two more in the final inning to finish on top 15-5.
Game 1
Marissa Bruns (Gibsonburg, Ohio / Gibsonburg) got the start for New Kensington in the circle and threw a tremendous seven innings. She allowed no runs on three hits, walking two and striking out one. The freshman faced 27 batters.
The game was quiet through the first two innings before an Elliott Ferrent (Punxsutawney, Pa. / Punxsutawney) double to left field in the bottom of the third drove in Illeana Ramirez (Locke, N.Y. / Moravia Central) while advancing Bruns to third. New Kensington ran across again in the bottom of the sixth when Abby Kane (Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional) doubled to bring Bruns home. Marissa Bruns's three up, three down pitching allowed the women to finish with the 2-0 win.
Game 2
Andrea Eiler (Eau Claire, Pa. / Moniteau) took the circle for New Kensington in game two. She threw 0.1 innings and gave up seven runs on five hits. Eiler walked one and struck out one. She was replaced by Marissa Bruns who threw 2.2 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits, walking one. Illeana Ramirez entered the game throwing two innings and giving up two runs on four hits. Ramirez walked one and struck out one.
Penn State Fayette opened up the scoring in the game with a single to left field. The bases remained loaded as they contributed 12 more runs unanswered through the top of the third.
New Kensington fired back with a Ramirez double to left-center field for Lianna Gonzalez (New York, N.Y. / Manhattan Hunter Science) to score. In the bottom of the fourth, Taylor Hill (Milford, Pa. / Deleware Valley) blasted a single to right-center field for Kane to advance to third on an error and Molly Collins (Verona, Pa. / Riverview) to cross the plate.
Hill advanced to second on a passed ball and Kane would score. Ramirez then singled and advanced to second on an error. Gonzalez and Hill came home, New Kensington trailing by 10. A Penn State Fayette 2 RBI double would earn the final points of the game for Penn State Fayette to finish on top 15-5.
"I feel like the first few games are just a learning curve to see what can improve," said Courtney Biswick (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills). "So it's not really oh well that's going to set the whole tone for the entire season. It's just to see the little things that can be improved."
New Kensington will be back in action at home tomorrow to face off against Niagara CCC. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Written by Matt Heavner, PSNK Athletics Communications Intern
