(BRADFORD, PA:)  Pitt-Bradford scored 19 runs and cracked 26 hits in a doubleheader sweep of visiting Penn State Altoona Saturday afternoon.  The Lady Panthers won the opener 11-3 in five innings before rallying to win the second contest 8-7 on a walk-off sacrifice fly.  Altoona fell to 3-18 overall and 0-7 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference while UPB improved to 7-15 and 6-6 in the league.

In game one, Altoona took the early lead at 2-0 thanks to four hits including RBI singles from Megan Turiano (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) and Melissa Claver (State College, PA/State College).  But the hosts answered back, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first and knocking Lion starting pitcher Lindsey Laudermilch (Hershey, PA/Hershey) from the game after facing just four batters.

Bradford went on to get three more runs in the second and fifth innings to set the final.  Lion hurlers Chelsea Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg) and Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) combined to pitch three innings before Laudermilch re-entered in the fifth. 

The final Altoona run came in the top of the third inning when Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) singled to score Kate Markstein (Crown Point, IN/Crown Point) from second base.  Markstein had three of the Lions' seven hits and scored two of the team's three runs.

Lady Panther pitcher Jillian Kreitzer worked all five innings, surrendering seven hits and only one earned run.  UPB banged out 11 hits in the game but did commit two errors. 

Game two was a far different story as the Lions scored five runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-6 lead.  Bradford answered in the bottom of the frame with a run, and the game was knotted at 7-7 entering the seventh inning.  After a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, the Lady Panthers had the bases loaded with one out in their half of the inning.  Nicole Ewings hit a shallow pop fly to right field that was caught by Lion outfielder Aisha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) and allowed Alex Palumbo to tag up and score the winning run.

The visitors had eight hits in the game and capitalized on three Pitt-Bradford errors that resulted in five unearned runs.  Two of those miscues occurred in the fifth when Altoona got five runs on three hits, all with two outs in the inning.  Sophomore catcher Kara Myers (Millheim, PA/Penns Valley) had a pair of base knocks and also scored a run.

Cummins surrendered 15 hits to the Lady Panthers in game two, allowing eight runs and walking four.  Bradford scored in all but two innings and held a 6-2 lead after three full innings.  A Myers sacrifice fly and Stimely RBI groundout got the Lions on the board in the top of the third.

Altoona stranded the bases loaded in both the second and fifth innings.  Lady Panther reliever Teegan Forness worked a scoreless final 2 and 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Penn State Altoona returns to action on Tuesday as it travels to La Roche College for a 3:00 PM AMCC doubleheader against the Lady Redhawks in Pittsburgh.

CONTACT:        Penn State Altoona Sports Information
                           Steve Crider  --  SID
                           814-949-5173
                           sac310@psu.edu