Penn State Scranton Softball Falls in Doubleheader to Du Bois

By: Ross Turetsky, Penn State Scranton Athletics

Dunmore, PA - On a gloomy, rainy day in northeastern, Pennsylvania, the Penn State Scranton softball squad dropped both ends of their home doubleheader against conference foe Penn State Du Bois by the scores of 25-0 and 22-0 respectively. With the loss, Scranton's overall record stands at 0-16 and in the all-important conference play they are 0-10. Meanwhile head coach Jason Kern and his Du Bois ball club sees their record improve to 11-15 overall and 9-5 in league play.

In game one, senior standout right-handed hurler Lizzy Scott dominated on the mound, as she threw five shutout, no hit innings, only allowing two walks, and fanning nine Scranton batters in the contest. Meanwhile offensively Du Bois had five players with multi-hit stellar performances, as freshman Abby Pentz, freshman Kelsey Stuart, senior Skylar Ceprish, freshman Maura Fledderman, and fellow freshman Makena Baney set the pace. Pentz led the way going 5-6, scoring four runs, and driving in four runs in the game. Stuart was 4-5, with three runs, and two RBI. Ceprish was a perfect 2-2 and scored two runs. Fledderman was 2-5, scored a trio of runs, and drove in a pair of runs. Baney went 2-4, scored a run, walked once, and had a hat trick of RBI. Also an honorable mention goes to freshman Shyanne Lundy, who had a game-high five RBI, and crushed a grand slam in the top half of the third inning. Overall Du Bois' powerful offense banged out 24 hits, six walks, and 25 runs, as they scored five in the first, 13 in the second, five in the third, and two more runs in the fourth inning.

In the first game Scranton had two base runners, as freshman left fielder Desiree Peters and junior third baseman Kelly Velehoski each reached base via the walk. Toeing the rubber, freshman starting pitcher Olivia Shimonis threw three innings on the mound and sophomore Cindy Perricone threw two innings in relief to finish out the ball game.

In the game two nightcap, Du Bois had five pitchers combine for a five inning shutout performance, as Ceprish, Cayleigh Huffman, Fledderman, Aleigha Geer, and Baney were all stalwart on the mound. Du Bois' offensive attack was on point once again in the second game, as they put up 12 runs in the first, five in the second, three in the third, and a run each in the fourth and fifth innings respectively.

For Scranton, Perricone threw a complete five inning effort on the mound, and at the plate she went 1-2 with a walk, and broke up Du Bois' combined no hitter attempt when she laced a solid base hit to left field in the fifth and final frame. Altogether the Lady Lions had eight base runners in the contest, with six walks and two hit by pitches, as Velehoski, Sarah Fastenau, Danielle Powell, Shimonis, Gabby Judge, and Maria Keifer all joined in with Perricone reaching base in the ball game.

Scranton's veteran head coach Mar Tsakonas was proud of her team's fight throughout the weekend getting to play in their first home games after numerous rain outs and playing two tough conference opponents in Mont Alto and Du Bois. "It was nice to not have to get off the bus and play and get that final out on our home field situation was good. We obviously ran into a couple of pretty decent teams who were hitting gaps on us and stuff, so we just have to get back into the lab and get ourselves back in shape so we can handle those innings better and cut down on those big innings we've been giving up lately. I love the fight of this team. I just wish they'd fight a little sooner and not have to put themselves in such a big hole earlier in the game to battle out of them. If we could just show that fight a little earlier in the game, I think we can be competitive. It's just getting that mental aspect down and show them they could be a good, competitive team if they really work together, communicate, and trust their ability," said coach Tsakonas.

Now Scranton will look to seize their first victory of the season in their next game when they host a big conference doubleheader against Penn State Hazleton this upcoming Tuesday, April 19^th, with first pitch scheduled for 2pm. Meanwhile, Penn State Du Bois will look to continue their winning ways this Tuesday when they go on the road to take on conference foe Penn State Fayette in a doubleheader matinee.