Mustangs Sweep Doubleheader at Penn State-Berks
READING, Pa. - Freshman Lauren Davis (Mechanicsville/Chopticon) broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning of game two when she scored the game-winning run on an error to lead the Stevenson University softball team to its fifth-straight win following a sweep of Penn State Berks Wednesday at Hintz Athletic Complex, 3-1 and 3-2.
The Mustangs (9-7) have now won eight of their last 11 and three consecutive on the road.
With game two tied at 2-2, Davis was placed on second base as part of the international tiebreaker rules. She moved to third when freshman Lisa Bilski (Forest Hill/Fallston) flied out to right and then scored on the same play on an error by the Nittany Lions, giving Stevenson a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, junior Sarah Moelter (Timonium/Dulaney) retired Penn State Berks in order on three-straight ground outs.
After Michelle Herb advanced to third on a ground out by Ashley Warner to lead off the inning, she was tagged out at home trying to score on a ground ball up the middle, preserving the one-run lead for the Mustangs.
With two outs and a runner on second, Moelter got Marlee Manwiller to ground out to end the game, improving Stevenson's record to 1-1 in extra-inning games this season.
Moelter, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, surrendered just three hits over eight innings of work while not allowing an earned run as both Nittany Lion runs came off of four Stevenson errors.
The Mustangs were able to edge out a two-run victory in game one thanks to a two-run second inning in which they received RBI singles from sophomore Michelle January (Baltimore/Eastern Tech) and freshman Brittani Rynkowski (Hampstead/North Carroll).
The team added its third run in the fifth when freshman Megan Kunkel (Nottingham/Mount de Sales) scored on a passed ball to give Stevenson a 3-0 lead.
In the circle, sophomore Julianne Roper (Baltimore/Western Tech) earned the win after striking out seven over seven innings and scattering six hits. She also did not allow an earned run.
January and Rynkowski each finished 2-for-3 with one RBI as the two combined for four of the team's seven hits.
Stevenson returns home for the first of two doubleheaders this weekend when it hosts a non-conference clash with Washington (Md.) on Saturday at Weinberg-Fine Stadium. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
