Penn State Behrend sweeps softball, eliminates Lions from playoff contention
4.22.07
Playing its fourth doubleheader in four days, the Penn State Altoona softball team was swept by host Penn State Behrend Sunday afternoon in Erie.  The Behrend Lions took the opener 5-1 and won the second contest 10-2 in five innings.  Penn State Altoona dropped to 4-22 overall, 2-12 in the AMCC, and has officially been eliminated from any postseason play.  In game one, Altoona managed just three hits off Behrend ace Julie Koman, who allowed one run and struck out eight in the complete game victory.  The hosts exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to stake a 5-0 lead before Altoona nabbed an unearned run in the sixth to set the final.  Emily Cummins suffered the loss, surrendering five runs on seven hits.  In game two, Behrend jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning and tacked on four more in the third.  The visitors scored two in the third via Janice Ashenfelder's two-run single, one of only two Altoona hits in the five inning affair.  Ashenfelder also pitched the contest but struggled throughout, allowing 10 runs on 12 hits.  Altoona has two more conference doubleheaders remaining, both on the road.  They visit Mount Aloysius on April 25 and travel to Medaille for a make up game with a date yet to be determined.

Softball drops two more conference games at Lake Erie
4.21.07
The Penn State Altoona softball team had its AMCC losing streak extended to eight games after a pair of losses Saturday at Lake Erie College.  The host Lady Storm rallied to win the opener 4-3 before easily taking the second contest 10-2.  Penn State Altoona scored a run in each of the first three innings of game one and led 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh.  But after a leadoff groundout, Lake Erie used a single, RBI triple, and RBI single to come from behind in dramatic fashion.  Emily Cummins suffered the loss for Altoona, pitching 6 and 1/3 innings and allowing 10 hits.  First baseman Jess Ross continued her tear at the plate, going 3-3 and scoring two runs.  In the nightcap, Lake Erie jumped out to a 6-1 lead after three innings and finished the Lions off with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Janice Ashenfelder struggled on the mound but did go 3-4 at the plate with one RBI.  Altoona committed four errors which led to three unearned LEC runs.  Ashenfelder surrendered 13 hits as the game was called after six innings due to the eight-run rule.  The Lions fell to 4-20 overall, 2-10 in the conference, and will travel to Penn State Behrend on Sunday for a 1 PM doubleheader.

AMCC frontrunner La Roche wears down Lion softball squad
4.20.07
The Penn State Altoona softball team dropped a pair of AMCC contests to visiting La Roche Friday afternoon at the Ivyside Field.  The Redhawks rallied to win the opener 2-1 in eight innings before overcoming a three run hole in the nightcap to win 6-3.  La Roche is now 19-13 overall and 12-2 in the conference while Altoona fell to 4-18 and 2-8 in the AMCC.  Game one was a classic pitchers duel between La Roche starter Bethany Perrachino and Lion hurler Emily Cummins.  Perrachino went all eight innings for the win, scattering four hits and fanning 12 Lion batters.  The only blemish came in the bottom of the second when Melissa Claver's ground out scored Katie Kauffman.  Cummins was equally impressive, allowing five hits over eight innings and fanning six.  The Redhawks got one run in the top of the second and would push across an unearned run via a throwing error in the eighth to grab the lead and the win.  Game two saw Altoona bolt to a 3-0 lead after three innings only to see La Roche score two in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth.  Altoona's Jess Ross hit a towering two run home run off Redhawk starter Jess Cullum in the second as the Lions looked poise to run away with the contest.  But the visitors got to Altoona starter Janice Ashenfelder, getting four runs off the junior before she was pulled in favor of Cummins.  Perrachino entered in relief for La Roche, allowing four hits and no runs over the final four innings for the win.  Cummins was charged with two runs after taking over for Ashenfelder with no one out in the fifth.  Kate Markstein had a stellar day at the plate, going 3-4 in game two while Ross and Kara Myers each had two hits.  The squad travels to Lake Erie on Saturday and Penn State Behrend on Sunday for a pair of AMCC road doubleheaders.

Softball suffers two heartbreaking losses to Pitt-Bradford
4.14.07
Despite holding comfortable leads in both contests, the Penn State Altoona softball team watched visiting Pitt-Bradford stage two dramatic comebacks as the Lions dropped both games of Saturday afternoon's doubleheader.  Bradford took game one 10-8 before rallying to steal the nightcap 5-4.  The Lady Panthers improved to 6-14 on the season, 5-3 in AMCC play, while Altoona dropped to 3-15 overall and 2-6 in the conference.  In the opener, Penn State Altoona scored eight runs via nine hits and four Bradford errors to grab a commanding 8-0 lead.  But the visitors chipped away, notching three runs in the top of the fourth and seven runs in the decisive sixth inning to complete the improbable comeback.  Seven of the eight Lion runs came unearned off Lady Panther pitcher Kristy Zavinski, who gave up 11 hits on the game.  Altoona pitcher Janice Ashenfelder was cruising until the fateful sixth inning, when she allowed seven runs on eight hits en route to the loss.  Amanda Shomo went 3-4 for the Lions while teammates Jess Ross and Katie Kauffman each went 2-4 at the plate.  Game two was a low scoring affair that ended the same way for Altoona as the Lady Panthers overcame a 4-2 deficit in the top of the seventh inning to squeak out the win.  Bradford led 2-1 entering the bottom of the sixth when Jess Ross hit a bases clearing double with two outs, giving Altoona the 4-2 lead.  But Bradford capitalized on two Altoona errors in the seventh and pushed three runs across to retake the lead.  The Lions went down in order in their half of the seventh and fell victim to the doubleheader sweep.  Emily Cummins suffered the loss for the Lions while Jillian Kreitzer picked up the win and Zavinski pitched the seventh for the save.  Ross and Kara Myers each had two hits, and Ross had a season high four RBI.  The squad returns to action on Tuesday as they lost La Roche for a 3 PM doubleheader at the Ivyside Field. 

Frostburg pitchers shut down Lion softball squad
4.3.07
The Penn State Altoona softball team managed just three hits in the opener before Frostburg pitcher Katelyn Coffey threw a perfect game in the nightcap, dropping the visiting Lions to 3-13 overall and 2-4 in AMCC play.  Frostburg won game one 4-2 and took the second contest 4-0 behind Coffey's superb outing.  The freshman pitcher allowed no hits, walked no one, and fanned 12 of the 21 Altoona hitters she faced.  Lion pitcher Emily Cummins was also impressive, striking out 11 batters and walking three.  The Lady Bobcats notched only four hits themselves but still were able to tally four runs.  In the opener, the Lions led 2-1 after three innings only to see Frostburg score three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim the lead for good.  Katie Kauffman, Amanda Shomo, and Jess Ross had the three Altoona hits in the game as Janice Ashenfelder suffered the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits.  Kauffman and Ross each hit solo bombs which accounted for the two Altoona runs.  The Lions are back in action on Thursday as they host Mount Aloysius in a non-conference battle beginning at 3 PM. 

Long balls help Westminster sweep Lion softball team
3.26
Jennifer Pancake cracked three home runs and collected six RBI to lead Westminster to a doubleheader sweep of host Penn State Altoona in women's softball Monday.  The Lady Titans held off a late Altoona rally to win the opener 2-1 before blowing the nightcap open en route to the 11-1 victory.  The Lions dropped to 1-9 overall while Westminster evened their record to 6-6.  In the first contest, neither team cracked the scoreboard until Pancake's solo home run to lead off the fourth.  Teammate Jen Emery accounted for the second Westminster run via another solo bomb in the top of the seventh.  That run would come in handy as the Lions' Melissa Claver hit an RBI single scoring Kate Markstein bringing Altoona within one.  But Pancake, who also pitched the complete game win and allowed just four hits, got Jen Conerby to ground out to end the game.  Freshman Emily Cummins was solid on the hill for Altoona, scattering 11 hits and fanning five.  In game two, Westminster scored three in the first and five in the third to grab a commanding 8-0 lead.  Pancake and Kayla Rosati each hit three run homers for the Lady Titans.  After Altoona's Ashley Ripka scored off a Janice Ashenfelder single, Westminster tacked on three more in the fourth to seal the victory.  Emery earned the win, going all five innings and allowing six hits.  Altoona is back in action on Wednesday as they open AMCC play when Pitt-Greensburg comes to the Ivyside Field for a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 PM.   

Expectations high for Lion women in 2007
2.28.07
With a handful of key returnees and a crop of talented freshmen, the Penn State Altoona softball team should loom large in the ten-team Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference this season.  Fifth year head coach Brenda Palmer says her team is practicing well and states her expectations for 2007 without hesitation:  an AMCC championship.

"I am really anxious to see how this season unfolds," said Palmer, who took over the Lion program in 2002.  "Not only do we have most of our core players back from last year, but we've added solid freshmen who can immediately contribute.  I'm interested in a championship because it's not out of our reach."

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