READING, Pa. - A play at the plate sealed Penn State Brandywine’s first ever United East title in any sport as the second-seeded Nittany Lions defeated No. 4 Penn College, 8-7, in the culminating United East Softball Championship game on Sunday afternoon. With the win, Brandywine moves to 35-8 to end their season.
Despite the loss, Penn College will represent the United East in the upcoming NCAA Championship as Penn State Brandywine is still a provisional Division III member and therefore does not have access to the national championship. The Wildcats will learn where they are going and who they will play at 11 AM on Monday
No. 2 Penn State Brandywine def. No. 4 Penn College, 8-7 (BOX SCORE)
Up two in the top of the seventh, Brandywine was just three outs from the school’s first ever United East title. The Wildcats had no intention of backing down though plating one with two outs on the board. With runners on first and second, Makenzi Tice sent a chopper to the shortstop who picked it and made the throw but not in time. The play wasn’t over though as Rinker headed home to try and tie the ball game. Quick thinking by Kaylee Mushinski sent the ball back to her catcher and Shelby DeCillis made a reaching tag to not only get the runner but also secure the title for Brandywine.
Getting the win for Brandywine wasn’t easy as the Nittany Lions didn’t see a lead until the sixth inning. Penn College hung a pair of unearned runs in the first inning but an Ava Craddock groundout in the bottom of the frame halved the lead. The Wildcats added three more in the third, including another two unearned, to take a 5-1 and then plated another on a Payton Crawford RBI double to make it 6-1 in the fifth.
Brandywine finally found their offense in the sixth beginning with a bases-clearing triple by Craddock for 3 RBI. Madie Culbertson then doubled a bit later to score Craddock. The squad picked up its first lead as Emma McElroy added another triple to the innings box score, scoring two and a Mushinski RBI double later made it 8-6.
April Lewandowski picked up the win in the circle, throwing a complete game to improve her record to 18-3 on the year. Craddock was tabbed the Most Valuable Player, going 1-for-4 with 4 RBI.
No. 4 Penn College def. No. 3 Penn State Harrisburg, 3-1 (9 Inn.) (BOX SCORE)
It took until extra innings before this game saw its first run cross the plate. Scoreless through the first seven frames, Penn College’s Madison Herriman got the Wildcats on the board first as her groundout scored Fayth Anderson. Harrisburg needed an answer and did just that as Madelyn Lehigh produced a sacrifice fly that plated Ashley Elafante. Tied at 1-1, the Wildcats offense continued to build off its eighth, scoring what would be the winning runs in the ninth. Lexi Snyder registered an RBI single for the first run and a Payton Crawford RBI double notched the second. Harrisburg only saw two batters in the bottom of the inning as the final out came via a home plate throw out from center.
Both pitchers went the distance with Penn College’s Mackenzi Tice picking up her 13th win on the year. The first year allowed just three hits and no earned runs while sitting down 10 batters. Kylee Miller had a solid statline for Harrisburg despite the loss, allowing just a single earned run and six strikeouts.
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.