Softball tallies 31 hits, sweeps Penn State Beaver in USCAA action

MONACA, Pa. --- Carlow University softball recorded 31 total hits in a sweep over Penn State Beaver Wednesday.

The Celtics (5-13) took the first game from the Lions (5-3-1), 11-3, in six innings, while Carlow scored a 12-10 comeback victory in the nightcap (which ended in six innings due to darkness).

Game 1: W, 11-3 (6 inn.)

Morgan Nedley hit 4 for 4 with a double and three RBI, and four other players tallied extra base hits in an 11-3 rout of the Lions in six innings to start the afternoon.

Clara Niglio tossed a three-hitter and did not allow an earned run while striking out two and walking three in the complete game effort.

Maddie Bowes hit a sacrifice fly to center field, and Nedley hit a two-out single to put two runs on the board for the Celtics in the first inning.

Niglio retired Penn State Beaver in order in the bottom half of the frame.

Marissa Schuckman started off the third with a single, and a double from Megan Pollinger in the next at-bat put runners in scoring positon for the Celtics.

Once again Bowes and Nedley combined efforts to bring in two more runs and increase Carlow's lead to 4-0.

An error kept the inning going, but the Lions caught Nedley at home attempting to stretch out a play to minimize the damage.

Carlow tacked on three more runs with a double and three singles in the top of the fifth, but a few errors in the bottom of the inning allowed Penn State Beaver to score three unearned runs, cutting Carlow's lead to 7-3.

Nedley hit a one-out RBI double, and McKenna Pierce and Paige Ziggas hit back-to-back singles to bring in three runs for Carlow in the top of the sixth.

The Celtics were just one run shy of the eight-run mercy rule before the Lions walked in Carlow's final run with two outs.

Penn State Beaver hit a single and took advantage of a walk in the bottom of the inning, but Niglio forced three fly outs to end the game.

Morgan Pierce batted 2 for 3 with an RBI, Schuckman hit 2 for 3 with a stolen base, Pollinger hit 2 for 4, and McKenna Pierce went 2 for 2 with two RBI.

Game 2: W, 12-10 (6 inn.)

Both teams turned the nightcap into a slugfest, with the Celtics belting 15 hits in the comeback win.

Morgan Pierce hit a two-out, three-run home run, and Carlow tacked on two unearned runs to gain a 5-0 advantage in the top of the first.

The Lions cut Carlow's lead to two with three runs on three hits and three errors in the bottom half of the frame.

The Lions retired the Celtics in order in the second and added another run on an RBI double during the bottom of the inning.

Penn State Beaver scored five runs on four hits and saw its own three-run homer in the bottom of the third to gain a 9-5 lead over the Celtics.

Hannah Gallagher hit her first collegiate home run – a two-out, solo shot to cut Penn State Beaver's lead to three in the top of the fourth.

Once again, the Lions returned the favor in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run to give them a 10-6 advantage.

Carlow scored its comeback victory in the top of the fifth.

Bella Cartieri ripped a three-run double and three different players recorded RBI singles in an eight-hit inning that gave Carlow the lead.

Ziggas hit 3 for 3 and Bowes hit 2 for 3 with an RBI in the game. Amelia Herzer, Cartieri, Gallagher and Nedley all hit 2 for 4 with eight RBI between them.

Morgan Pierce secured the win for the Celtics, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out seven with a walk in four innings of work.

Tatum Wiggs got the start, allowing six runs on six hits with a strikeout and two walks.

Chloe Coleman hit 4 for 4 with four RBI to lead the Lions.

Carlow travels to Kentucky for a River States Conference doubleheader against Midway University March 25 at 3 p.m. The contests will be played at the Centre College softball field in Danville, Ky.