MEDIA, Pa. – The Delaware Valley softball team staged a late comeback in game one to secure a split against Penn State Brandywine on Thursday afternoon.
Game 1 | Delaware Valley 4 – PSU-Brandywine 2
The Aggies got their first hit of the afternoon in the opening inning when
Sierra Ripka singled up the middle, but it was Brandywine who struck first. In the second, after Craddock singled to left center, DeCillis followed with a double to the left-field fence, driving in the first run of the game.
Madison Karns responded by striking out the next batter and inducing two pop-outs to end the inning.
Brandywine added another run in the third. With runners on the corners, Craddock lined one to
Tori Bockrath, but the junior couldn't secure it, resulting in an infield single.
The Lions threatened again in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs. However, Bockrath made a heads-up play, throwing home to catcher
Amelia Funston for the first out. Karns then got Bussenger to line out to left fielder
Kenzie Boyd, who fired to second baseman
Angelina Bresnen to double up Brandywine and escape the jam.
DelVal looked to rally in the fifth. Funston reached on an error, and
Kathleen McGeoy entered as a pinch-runner. Bockrath followed with a single up the middle, and Karns laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position with two outs. However,
Taylor Mazzoni struck out, stranding the tying runs. In the bottom half, the Lions loaded the bases with two outs, but Karns induced a groundout to Bresnen to keep the deficit at two.
Karns and the Aggies' defense retired the Lions in order in the sixth, setting the stage for a thrilling seventh inning.
Bresnen led off with a single, and Funston followed with a double to left. Bockrath then singled to right, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Karns followed with a bloop single in front of the right fielder, bringing home Funston to tie the game. With two outs,
Jillian Collins hit a grounder to short, but a bobble kept the inning alive, loading the bases. Ripka then came through with a clutch single to right, just out of the diving fielder's reach, putting DelVal in front 4-2.
Brandywine got a runner on with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Aggies secured the win with a pair of force-outs at second and a flyout to center. Karns went the distance, pitching seven innings with three strikeouts to improve to 7-3 on the season.
Game 2 | PSU-Brandywine 4 – Delaware Valley 1
Ripka carried her momentum into game two, leading off with a single to right and stealing second. The Aggies loaded the bases with one out after walks to Bresnen and
Madison Donnelly, but Funston grounded into a double play, ending the scoring chance.
Brandywine took advantage in the bottom half, scoring on an Aggies' error while attempting to tag out Bussenger at third.
DelVal quickly responded in the second. Bockrath doubled, Karns reached on an error, and
Isabella Davis walked to load the bases. Collins then lofted a single over short, bringing in Bockrath to tie the game at 1-1. However, the Aggies couldn't push across any additional runs.
The Lions reclaimed the lead in the third. With runners on the corners, DeCillis dropped a single into center, making it 2-1. Boyd, who started in the circle for game two, forced a groundout to end the inning.
Brandywine added insurance in the fifth, capitalizing on back-to-back Aggies' errors. DeCillis then laid down a sacrifice bunt, bringing home another run to extend the lead to 3-1.
DelVal had a chance in the sixth when Funston singled to right-center and McGeoy, pinch-running, advanced to second on a Karns groundout. However, Davis fouled out to end the threat. In the bottom half, Brandywine tacked on another run when Culbertson doubled, advanced to third, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Bussenger.
Boyd walked in the seventh, but the Aggies couldn't rally, falling 4-1 in game two.
With the split, Delaware Valley moves to 12-5 overall and will return to MAC Freedom action on Saturday, March 29, at Lebanon Valley College.
