(ASTON, Pa.) – No. 7 Wilson gave No. 2 Penn State Brandywine all it could handle in the second round of the United East Championship on Friday. The Phoenix outhit the Nittany Lions in the opener, but couldn't overcome an early deficit built by the hosts in the second inning. Game 2 saw multiple ties and lead changes in a back-and-forth, ping pong affair where Brandywine took the lead in the bottom of the sixth and held of Wilson's charge to force extra innings and a potential Game 3.
The Basics
Scores: Game 1 – No. 7 Wilson 1, No. 2 Penn State Brandywine 6
Game 2 – No. 7 Wilson 6, No. 2 Penn State Brandywine 7
Venue: Maplezone Sports Village
Records: Wilson 21-15, Penn State Brandywine 32-8
How It Happened (Game 1)
- Most of the damage came in the second inning as the Nittany Lions posted four of their six runs on three hits. After loading the bases, a single and a walk gave them a 2-0 lead before Emma McElroy line one up the middle to score two more before Jenna Weaver (FY, Camp Hill, Pa. / Cedar Cliff) connected with Madison Briggs (Jr., Lock Haven, Pa. / Central Mountain) to throw her out attempting to go to third.
- Weaver helped Wilson get on the board in the fourth as she got a base hit up the middle to score Caitlin Oliviero (So, Wernersville, Pa. / Conrad Weiser) who was pinch running for Briggs after she led off with a base hit through the left side. The bases were loaded for three more at-bats, but the Phoenix were unable to take advantage. It was also their best opportunity the rest of the game. Brandywine went on to add insurance runs in the fourth and fifth to set up the final.
Inside The Numbers (Game 2)
- Wilson wasted little time in lighting up the scoreboard as Weaver led off the game with a single down the right field line and eventually scored on a Katelyn Keller (FY, Orrthanna, Pa. / Gettysburg) sacrifice fly. Emily Randalls (FY, Dillsburg, Pa /) reached on an error after Weaver's hit and made her way around the bases throughout the frame before she scored on a Sydney Hartle (FY, Keedysville, Md. / Boonsboro) sacrifice fly.
- After Brandywine answered with a pair in the second, the Phoenix regained the lead on a Kayla Talbert (So., Hagerstown, Pa. / North Hagerstown / Saint Peter's) sac fly to score Keller who hit her nation-leading 12th triple of the season just before her. However, Brandywine came right back to score a pair in the bottom of the third to take a 4-3 lead.
- Carleigh Magers (FY, Mount Airy, Md. / Urbana) led of the fourth with an infield single and moved to third on the next two batters' results. Lindsey Dalenberg (So., Niles, Mich. / Edwardsburg) provided the dividends on an infield single to get the RBI and tie the game.
- That set the stage for a wild finish. Hartle was hit by a pitch and Oliviero pinch ran once again. She was brought home after Briggs reached on an infield error. Brandywine answered by loading the bases for McElroy who singled through the right side for a pair of runs. The Nittany Lions added once more.
- Wilson didn't quit and was able to get a runner on after Randalls singled to right. She moved to second on a sacrifice before Talbert squeezed one just inside the left field line, but the Phoenix were unable to get any closer.
Inside The Numbers
- Briggs and Talbert had multiple-hit games on the day with Briggs getting a pair in the opener before Talbert did so in Game 2.
- Weaver ended the day with a hit in each game and moves her reached base streak to a week. As a result she moved her reached base streak to 13 games.
- Talbert now has nine multiple RBI games.
