Hazleton splits road matchup at Beaver

Monaca, Pa. - The Nittany Lions nearly pulled off a sweep at Penn State Beaver on Thursday, settling for a series split on the road. The Lions pulled ahead late in the first game, but a two-run seventh inning by the home squad Beaver, resulted in a 5-4 defeat of Hazleton. Game two was close as well with Hazleton pulling away by three scores for much of the contest until once again Beaver closed the gap in the seventh inning. Hazleton responded by shutting down the rally to escape with a 5-3 win and a split in the two game set. 

Game one: Penn State Hazleton 4, Penn State Beaver 5 - Final

Fourth year hurler Paige Parisi got the start for Hazleton in the first game of the afternoon but Hazleton would fall behind early as Beaver converted three scores in their first three at trips on offense. Hazleton responded in the fourth inning on a two-run single off the bat of fourth year player Linsey Fisk to close the gap and Parisi posted zeros on the board to keep the game close through six innings of action. Hazleton took the lead in the top of the seventh as Beaver allowed two walks and committed three errors in the inning, nearly costing the home team the game. But in the bottom half of the inning, Hazleton allowed the tying run to reach safely and with two outs, Beaver's Kierstyn Mays dashed Hazleton's hopes with a walk-off home run to end the game. 

Fisk finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBI while third year player Ashley Wilson ended the game 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. First year player Amy Dwojewski went 2-for-3 in the loss to round out Hazleton's top offensive efforts while Parisi earned the loss in the circle despite a solid effort, tossing 6.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits. 

Game two: Penn State Hazleton 5, Penn State Beaver 3 - Final

Nearly all of Hazleton's offense came early in the second contest on Thursday. Hazleton produced four early scores, including RBI singles from Wilson and fourth year player Jess Lepore that were part of a two run second inning. Second year pitcher Tiffany Brogan allowed one score in the first inning, but was able to maintain a 4-1 advantage for the Nittany Lions through six innings. In the top half of the seventh frame, Hazleton got a clutch insurance run off the bat of third year player Tori Rabuck, cashing in Ashley Wilson who tripled to lead off the frame. With the comfortable 5-1 advantage, Beaver threatened for their second comeback of the day, but Brogan and the Lions were not to be denied as the Lions closed out the game with two pop outs to escape with the win. 

Hazleton combined for eight hits in game two with Wilson feasting on Beaver pitching for three hits and one RBI including the triple in the seventh. Brogan tossed a complete game for Hazleton to earn her third win of the year, allowing three runs on eight hits with seven strike outs.