Jenna Tallman banged out four hits to lead Pitt-Johnstown to a 7-4 win in eight innings to open a PSAC Western Division doubleheader at Seton Hill, Tuesday afternoon.
Julia Mooney homered and
Meghan McDonough drove in three, but the Griffins erased a five-run deficit to get the split with a 12-7 win in the nightcap. The Mountain Cats are now 5-17 overall and 2-6 in conference-play
In game one, Pitt-Johnstown opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Base hits from Mooney and
Brynnae Coe sandwiched around an error on
Isabella DePalma's error in right field loaded the bases in top of the third. Tallman followed with an infield single to chase Mooney home, and DePalma scored to make it 2-0 on
Mia Smith's groundout.
The Mountain Cats added one more in the fifth. Tallman tripled to right field with two outs and scored on Smith's ball that was misplayed by Griffins' first baseman Abby Smearman.
Seton Hill cut the deficit to 3-2 with two runs in its half of the fifth, before the Griffins sent it to extra innings with a run in the bottom of the seventh on starting pitcher Shelby Telegdy's two-out, RBI single to left.
In the top of the eighth, Pitt-Johnstown exploded for four runs. Tallman led off with a single.
Emma DiStefano entered the game as a pinch runner, moved to second on Smith's ground out and scored on a Seton Hill throwing error to give the led back to Pitt-Johnstown.
Krista Brunson's second double of the day plated McDonough, who reach on the error. The Mountain Cats then loaded the bases and DePalma delivered a two-run single that put Pitt-Johnstown on top, 7-3.
The Griffins picked up a run in the bottom of the eight, but Smith was able to work out of the jam to earn the complete-game victory and improve to 4-7.
Smith tossed all eight innings, allowed four runs (3 earned) on 10 hits, while striking out four and walking one.
Tallman went 4-for-4 with a triple, and RBI, and a run scored to lead Pitt-Johnstown's 13-hit attack. Brunson had two doubles and an RBI, while had two hits apiece. DePalma had a base hit and drove in two.
Teledgy took the loss for Seton Hill and fell to 7-6 after giving up seven runs (5 earned) in eight innings.
In game two, Mooney's two-out solo homer to right in the top of the first put the Mountain Cats on top, and McDonough's two-out, two-run double scored Coe and Brunson to add two more unearned runs in the top of the second.
Pitt-Johnstown continued to build its lead with three runs in the third. The Mountain Cats loaded the bases and Mooney scored on a
Sara Solberg base hit, McDonough drew a walk that sent DePalma home, and a
Hannah Gnibus fielder's choice scored Tallman to extend it to 6-0.
A pair of runs in the bottom of the third narrowed Seton Hill's deficit to 6-2, but Brunson's sacrifice fly in the fifth got a run back for Pitt-Johnstown.
Three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by Brooke Cleland's two run double, got the Griffins back to within two and seven runs in the sixth helped get Seton Hill the split with the 12-7 win.
McDonough was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI and Mooney homered and scored two runs for the Mountain Cats. Brunson and Solberg each had a hit and an RBI, while Coe scored two runs.
Mahlon Yonkin took the loss after surrendering nine runs (6 earned) on 11 hits over the first 5.1 innings.
Addison Hilligsberg pitched 2/3 of an inning and gave up three runs.
With the split, Seton Hill is now 15-11 overall and 4-6 in the PSAC West.
Pitt-Johnstown is scheduled to host a PSAC West doubleheader against Indiana (PA), Friday afternoon at the Pitt-Johnstown Softball Field, before traveling to Clarion for a pair of conference games on Saturday to begin a stretch of six consecutive road doubleheaders.
