TARENTUM, Pa. - New Kensington softball fell to Penn State Brandywine in both games of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
After one scoreless inning, Penn State Brandywine opened up the scoring with one run in the second. They followed up again in the third with five more runs.
The New Kensington offense was unable to drive in any runs. Brandywine scored again in the fourth with one run. They extended to a comfortable ten-run lead in the sixth. Penn State Brandywine drove in the final three runs to finish with the 13-0 win. Brandywine took control again in game two, putting up 13 runs in the first. They followed up with three more in the second.
Penn State Brandywine ran across twice in the third before New Kensington produced eight runs. Brandywine led 18-8 after three. Penn State Brandywine scored the final runs of the game in the fourth to finish the game with the 20-8 win.
Game 1
Illeana Ramirez (Locke, N.Y. / Moravia Central) got the start for New Kensington, throwing two innings and letting up six runs on eight hits, striking out one.
She was replaced by Andrea Eiler (Eau Claire, Pa. / Moniteau) who threw four innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits, including one home run. Eiler walked one batter, striking out one. Penn State Brandywine singled to left field for the RBI that brought in the first run. Brandywine singled again followed by a stolen base that would put their lead at 3-0.
They would single for another RBI, followed by a double that would extend their lead to five. The last runs of the inning came off of a Brandywine single to third base. New Kensington trailed 6-0 going into the bottom of the frame.
An error by shortstop in the top of the fourth would give Brandywine their seventh run. They homered for a 3 RBI and followed up with a 2 RBI double for the 12-0 lead. The final run of the game came off of a double to right-center for Penn State Brandywine to finish with the 13-0 win.
Game 2
Illeana Ramirez started again for New Kensington, throwing 0.1 innings and giving up 10 runs on six hits. She walked two batters. Andrea Eiler entered the game and threw 4.2 innings while letting up 10 runs on eight hits. Eiler walked five, striking out three.
The opening runs came off of a Penn State Brandywine double 3 RBI to center field. A combination of singles, doubles, and errors would bring in ten more Brandywine runs in the first. They grounded out to third base for another RBI in the second. After two innings, Penn State Brandywine would lead 16 runs unanswered.
Brandywine doubled in the top of the third to take the 18-0 lead. New Kensington did not respond until the bottom of the third when Ramirez singled to center field for Ashley Encarnacion (New York, N.Y. / Women's Academy of Excellence) to score.
Marissa Bruns (Gibsonburg, Ohio / Gibsonburg) then contributed a single 2 RBI to right field for Lianna Gonzalez (New York, N.Y. / Manhattan Hunter Science) and Courtney Biswick (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills) to come home. Elliott Ferrent (Punxsutawney, Pa. / Punxsutawney) also singled to center field to drive in Ramirez.
Abby Kane (Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional) doubled to left field for Ferrent to score. Encarnacion contributed a double that brought in Kane. Biswick closed out the inning singling to right field for a 2 RBI that scored Encarnacion and Taylor Hill (Milford, Pa. / Deleware Valley). New Kensington earned back eight runs in the third.
Penn State Brandywine scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth before an error by shortstop brought them the final run of the game. Penn State Brandywine finished the day with the 20-8 win.
New Kensington will take on Penn State Beaver at home on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Written by Matt Heavner, PSNK Athletics Communications Intern
