ALTOONA, Pa. - The Penn State Altoona softball team out-hit visiting Westminster in both games but untimely errors eventually cost the Lions in a non-league doubleheader Sunday against Westminster.  Both games went eight innings with the Titans capturing 8-4 and 8-6 victories.

In the opener, Westminster jumped out to a 4-0 lead and got three unearned runs in the top of the third inning.  Altoona got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame when Erin Cline (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) smacked an RBI double that scored Alanna Luzier (Frenchville, PA/Clearfield).

The Lions then tacked on two more runs in the fourth, both unearned, and tied the game in the sixth when Mo Foley (Philadelphia, PA/John W. Hallahan) scored on a Westminster error. 

With the score knotted at 4-4 after regulation, Westminster used a Megan Hoffman two-run double and manufactured four runs in the top of the eighth while holding the Lions scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

Andrea Layton (Everett, PA/Everett) went the distance and suffered the loss, allowing only three earned runs and striking out three.  Luzier went 3 for 4 at the plate, and Cline added two hits for Altoona, which out-hit the Titans 10-7.

In game two, Westminster jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Altoona cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the third.  Another Cline double brought home Luzier, and the Lions tied the game in the bottom of the fourth thanks to RBI hits from Aisha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) and Kelly McVay (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport).

The game remained tied at 3-3 when McVay blasted a solo home run in the sixth that put Altoona ahead by a run.  But a crucial error in the seventh allowed Westminster to tie the game and again send it to extra innings.

The visitors tacked four runs on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth, but the Lions made a charge in the bottom of the frame, scoring two runs before eventually falling short.  Altoona committed 10 errors in the contest which made three of the eight Westminster runs unearned.

Altoona out-hit Westminster 14-7 in the nightcap as Callie Lyle (Brockway, PA/Brockway) suffered the loss.  McVay had three hits, while Luzier, Cline, Kassam, and Layton each had two.

Penn State Altoona dropped to 6-26 overall and will conclude the season with a home doubleheader against Juniata College on Wednesday at 3:00 PM.