LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven softball team fell in a pair of hard-fought Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern games, 3-1 and 8-7, at the hands of visiting Shepherd on Friday afternoon at Lawrence Field.
Lock Haven is now 14-22 overall and 8-18 in the PSAC East. Shepherd improved to 19-16-1 on the season and 15-8-1 in the conference.
In game two,
Blaire Balestrini hit her tenth home run of the season. The freshman is now tied for the conference lead in home runs and is the first Bald Eagle to reach double-digits in long balls since the 2019 season.
Game 1 Recap: Shepherd 3, Lock Haven 1
Game one was a pitcher's dual that featured just nine hits between the two clubs.
Lock Haven opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning when
Maci Brodzina doubled to deep center field to plate
Bella Schmitt.
However, Shepherd scored three runs over the fifth and sixth innings, while shutting out The Haven the rest of the way to earn the victory.
Lock Haven starting pitcher
Keri Wesneski was strong through seven innings and finished with three earned runs on five hits.
Brodzina and
Maria Fratangelo both doubled to lead Lock Haven on offense.
Game 2 Recap: Shepherd 8, Lock Haven 7
In game two, Shepherd struck first with a two-run homer during its first plate appearances to take an early lead.
Shepherd extended its lead to 5-0 in the top of the fourth inning, but The Haven's bats came alive in the bottom half of the frame as the Bald Eagles erupted for seven runs to take their first lead of the day, 7-5.
During the rally, the Bald Eagles notched five hits and brought 10 players to the plate.
Madison Hardy cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double, while
Blaire Balestrini hit her 10
th home run of the year, a three-run shot to right center.
However, Shepherd scratched across solo runs in the fifth and sixth inning to knot the game back at 6-6 heading into the seventh.
The Rams hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh and retired the side in the bottom half of the inning to hold on for a 7-6 victory.
Balestrini finished with a pair of hits and combined with Hardy to drive in six runs. Fratangelo also picked up an RBI.
Next up for The Haven:
The Bald Eagles return home on Saturday, April 19 to host No. 16 Kutztown at Lawrence Field starting at 11 a.m. for Senior Day.
