Taylor Hoover connected for three home runs in Tuesday's PSAC Central doubleheader against Lock Haven University at V.E. Erickson Complex, but the Bald Eagles swept Pitt-Johnstown 9-7 in nine innings and 10-2 in five innings. The Mountain Cats slipped to 7-11 overall and 3-3 in conference-play.
In the opener, Pitt-Johnstown got a pair of home runs from Hoover to help erase an early 7-0 deficit, but Bekah Slattery's two-run homer in the top of the ninth led Lock Haven to the 9-7 victory.
Bryann Hilty's two run single, followed by an RBI base hit from Amanda Loar gave Lock Haven a quick 3-0 first inning lead.
The Bald Eagles added another run in the second on Becca Caputo's single to right field that chased home Bekah Slattery, before Casey Carpenter's three-run homer in the fourth increased it to 7-0.
Pitt-Johnstown cut it to 7-2 in its half of the fourth on Hoover's two-run homer.
The Mountain Cats battled all the way back to knot it at seven with five unearned runs in the fifth, including Hoover's second home run, a three-run blast to left field.
It stayed that way until Slattery connected for a two-run homer in the Bald Eagles' ninth to lift Lock Haven to the victory.
Hoover went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and five RBI, while
Ashley Shor added a pair of hits for Pitt-Johnstown.
Morgan Cannin,
Marley Elbin,
Olivia Porter, and
Stacey Walling also had hits for the Mountain Cats.
Melissa Wagner suffered the loss and fell to 1-5 for Pitt-Johnstown. Wagner allowed all nine runs on 14 hits in the complete-game.
In game two, Lock Haven raced out to a 10-run fourth-inning lead and coasted to the 10-2, run-shortened victory.
After falling behind and being held hitless through 3 1/3 innings, Hoover connected for her third homer of the day to get Pitt-Johnstown on the scoreboard.
The Mountain Cats then loaded the bases in the fifth and set the final at 10-2 when Hoover, who had seven RBI in the two games, singled home Cannin.
Hoover went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, and
Ali Belgiovane added a single for Pitt-Johnstown.
Samantha Frey started in the circle for the Mountain Cats and fell to 0-1 after allowing 10 runs (9 earned) on 12 hits over the first four innings.
Emily Moore pitched the final inning and didn't allow a hit or a run.
With the sweep, Lock Haven improved to 17-9 overall and 6-0 in the PSAC Central.
Pitt-Johnstown will host a PSAC Central doubleheader against Mansfield on Friday at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. at V.E. Erickson Complex, before traveling to Lock Haven for two more conference games on Saturday.
