WASHINGTON – The Gallaudet University softball team dropped its doubleheader against North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) foe Penn. St.-Berks on Sunday afternoon 6-0 and 12-4 at the GU Softball Complex.

Penn St.-Berks (22-2, 10-0 NEAC South Division) pitcher Jess Epler had a no-hitter going for the first three innings of play in the first game until freshman shortstop Chelsea Lee (South Brunswick, N.J.) broke up the no-hitter on a well placed single to shallow left field in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Nittany Lions scored their six runs by putting together back-to-back singles and fielders choices. They also took advantage of errors and wild pitches from Gallaudet (11-19, 1-9 NEAC South).

Junior pitcher Rachel Sweigart (Big Rock, Ill.) pitched all seven innings for the Bison giving up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Sweigart's record lowers to 5-9 for the season. Lee led the Bison at the plate going 2-for-3.

Epler (17-1) threw a complete game shutout for Penn St.-Berks giving up three hits and struck out five Bison. She also went 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored with a walk.

Gallaudet kept the second game close until the sixth inning when Penn St.-Berks broke open the game with a six-run inning. The Bison trailed by one, 2-1, and had two outs in the sixth before the Nittany Lions put together three consecutive hits that led to five runs being scored. Kaylie Vrabel came up with a two-run triple to center field to lead the six-run inning.

Bison miscues doomed them in the seventh as a fielding error by the first baseman kept the inning alive as the Nittany Lions scored four more runs with two outs.

Senior center fielder Alicia Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field in the third inning to score senior third baseman Kara Gulvas (Crown Point, Ind.) to put the Bison on the board for the first time in the doubleheader. Gallaudet put up three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Gulvas hit a deep double to left field to score sophomore pinch-hitter Victoria Rainey (Danvers Ill.). Lee came up next and hit a well placed triple to center field to score Gulvas. Johnson then hit a double down the left field line to score Lee for the final Bison run of the game.

Sophomore pitcher Montana Murphy (Simi Valley, Calif.) pitched 6.2 innings for the Bison and gave up 12 runs (six earned) on 12 hits and walked five. Murphy took the loss for Gallaudet and is now 6-8 for the season. Sweigart closed out the game for GU and did not allow a run. Lee went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored while Johnson drove in two runs in the loss.

Casey Hafer (5-1) earned the win for the Nittnay Lions after giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks. Missy Lamm led Berks at the plate going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, three runs scored and two walks.

Gallaudet will face NEAC foe Wilson College in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 16, at the GU Softball Complex with the first game set to start at 3 p.m. The doubleheader is Gallaudet's "Strikeout to Cancer" game so fans are encouraged to wear something pink and make a donation to the American Cancer Society to show their support.