Pitt-Johnstown bounced back from a tough 6-5 loss to Clarion in Friday's opening game of a PSAC Central doubleheader at V.E. Erickson complex with six first inning runs on its way to an 8-3 win in game two to secure the split.
Ali Belgiovane,
Montana Mang, and
Ashley Shor all collected for hits for the Mountain Cats, now 9-17 overall and 5-7 in conference-play.
In game one, Pitt-Johnstown erased a three-run deficit only to see the Golden Eagles score lthree runs in the top of the seventh to claim the 6-5 come-from-behind win.
After three scoreless innings, Clarion got on the scoreboard on Rebecca Kelley's opposite field two-run home run off of Pitt-Johnstown starter
Melissa Wagner.
Clarion made it 3-0 with a run in the fifth, but Pitt-Johnstown answered with four in the bottom of the frame.
Jade Stubblefield and Mang each singled and scored on Shor's base hit. The
Mountain Cats tied it on Bongiovane's RBI double off the left field fence, before
Olivia Porter's sacrifice fly plated
Morgan Cannin to give Pitt-Johnstown its first lead.
However, the Golden eagles plated three in the top of the seventh to regain the lead, 6-4.
Pitt-Johnstown was able to cut it to 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh when Shor scored on Belgiovane's single to center, Porter grounded out to short to end the Mountain Cats' threat.
Belgiovane and Shor each had two hits and two RBI, while Cannin added a pair of hits for Pitt-Johnstown.
Wagner suffered the loss after allowing six runs (4 earned) on eight hits in the complete game. Wagner also struck out seven and walked just one.
In the nightcap, Pitt-Johnstown raced out to a six-run lead and went on to the 8-3 victory.
The Mountain Cats jumped on Clarion starter Macy Rubin for six unearned runs, highlighted run-scoring base hits from
Stacey Walling,
Bree Ginther, and Shor.
Jessica Cartia's solo homer in the Clarion third made it 6-1, but Pitt-Johnstown scored two more in the third on Cannin's bunt single and
Marley Elbin's ground out.
In the sixth inning, Cartia belted her second home run of the day, a two-run shot to center to get the Golden Eagles' to within five, but that was as close as it would get.
Mang went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Shor had two hits, an RBI, and a run, and Belgiovane collected two hits to lead the Mountain Cats.
Kristen Coffay evened her record at 5-5 after holding Clarion to three runs on just four hits in the complete game. Coffay fanned nine and walk one.
With the split, the Golden Eagles are now 5-26 overall and 2-12 in the PSAC Central.
Pitt-Johnstown travels to a PSAC doubleheader at Bloomsburg on Saturday and to Shippensburg for a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday. The Mountain Cats play their next home games on April 28 when they celebrate Senior Day against Indiana (PA) at 5 and 7 p.m. at V.E. Erickson Complex.
