By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
DuBois, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto softball team put together an outstanding performance in its opening round matchup against Saint Mary Woods College nearly knocking off the No. 3 seeded Pomeroys on Monday losing by 8-7 score.
Mont Alto showed out offensively on Monday evening showing they learned from their experiences in the PSUAC Tournament and will now move on to compete in the loser's bracket of the USCAA Small College World Series.
Freshman lefty Emily Bittinger (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area) got the start in the pitching circle and was calm, cool, and collected throughout along the way to 7.0 innings pitched. She relied on a quick Mont Alto scoring outburst that saw the Nittany Lions atop early as she was on a groove then throughout.
The Nittany Lions scored the opening run of the game in the top of the second inning before padding its lead with four more runs an inning late. Up 1-0, Bittinger singled to lead off the top of the third and scored on a McKenna Sas (Canyon County, Calif. / Canyon County) single, which also plated Chelsea Cover (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area) to put PSUMA up 3-0. Leah Blount (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area) cleared the bases with an RBI gap shot.
Bittinger pitched herself out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth frame with Saint Mary of the Woods College plated three runs, two of which were assisted by a PSUMA fielding error. She worked into another hiccup allowing three runs, which put the No. 3 seed up 6-5.
Mont Alto showed its resilience once again plating both the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh. Sas the reigning USCAA Home Run Derby champion nearly went yard, but her double down the leftfield line scored Chelsea Cover (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro Area). An RBI single off the bat of Destiny Hall (McConnellsburg, Pa. / McConnellsburg) put PSUMA up 7-6 entering the bottom of the seventh frame.
The Pomeroys were clutch themselves as they ended up walking it off scoring two runs in the bottom of the frame for the 8-7 final.
Mont Alto will look continue fighting as they will next take on the winner of PSU DuBois and Mississippi University for Women.
