LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Blaire Balestrini and
Maria Fratangelo combined for three home runs as the Lock Haven softball team's bats came alive in game two to earn an 11-5 victory over No. 10 East Stroudsburg in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) doubleheader at Lawrence Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Bald Eagles dropped game one 18-2.
With the split, Lock Haven moves to 14-20 on the season and 8-16 in the PSAC East. No. 10 ESU moves to 34-8-1 overall and 18-5-1 in the conference.
Game 2 Recap: Lock Haven 11, East Stroudsburg 5
After dropping game one, the Bald Eagles surrendered five innings in the top of the first inning to dig an early hole.
However, The Haven went on to score runs in every inning, while starting pitcher
Talia Ross didn't allow another run after the first inning and the Bald Eagles soared an 11-5 come-from-behind victory over the 10
th-ranked team in the country.
The Bald Eagles scored in every inning, including four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning off the top ranked pitcher in the PSAC.
Reigning PSAC East Athlete of the Week
Blaire Balestrini remained scorching at the plate and finished 4-for-4 with two home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored. The freshman now has six home runs over the Bald Eagles' previous three series and her nine home runs place her second in the PSAC.
Fratangelo added a home run, her fifth of the season, while five different Bald Eagles drove in runs.
Madison Hardy (2-for-4, 2 RBI),
Abby Robertson (2B),
Bella Schmitt,
Madison Melius also picked up RBIs for the Bald Eagles.
After allowing five runs in the first, Ross went on to throw six scoreless innings and struck out three batters to pick up her team-leading seventh victory of the season.
Game 1 Recap: East Stroudsburg 18, Lock Haven 3
In game one, Lock Haven took a 2-0 lead after two innings of play, but ESU scored nine runs in the top of the third and eight runs in the fifth en route to an 18-3 victory.
For Lock Haven,
Riley Best and
Abby Robertson (2B) both recorded hits and drove in a run.
Next up for The Haven:
The Bald Eagles continue their homestand and will host Shepherd for a PSAC East doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. on Friday (April 18) at Lawrence Field.
