MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – It was a tough task for Gallaudet University softball here on a sunny Thursday afternoon on the road against Penn St. Harrisburg in a pair of United East Conference – Volt Division games.
The Lions (21-9, 10-4 United East), one of the top teams in the Volt Division, run-ruled the Bison by scores of 9-1 and 11-1 in five innings each.
Gallaudet (4-20, 0-14 United East) still clings to hope of making a run at the No. 5 seed in the Volt Division playoffs with six games left.
Penn St. Harrisburg sweeps the season series (4-0) against Gallaudet and holds a 24-3 advantage over the Bison dating back to 2009. GU has never won on the road against the Lions.
Game 1: Penn St. Harrisburg 9, Gallaudet 1 (F/5)
GU fell behind early as the Lions scored four runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back. The Bison got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the third inning before Penn St. Harrisburg scored five more times, four in the fifth, to end the game by the eight-run mercy rule in the fifth inning.
Sophomore 
Lacey Drolsbaugh (Lansdale, Pa.) came through with a RBI double in the top of the third to score first year 
Alina Williamson (Jefferson, Md.) from second base. The run cut the lead to three, 4-1, as the Bison loaded the bases with two outs. Penn St. Harrisburg starting pitcher Mackenzie Sawdey (13-3) got out of the jam with one of her seven strikeouts.
GU starting pitcher 
Christina Elsbury (Uniontown, Ohio) took the loss in the circle in 4.1 innings pitched and one strikeout.
The Bison hit into a double play in the first inning and ran their way out of the second inning as a runner got caught in a rundown between third base and home plate and another runner got thrown out trying to steal third base.
Game 2: Penn St. Harrisburg 11, Gallaudet 1 (F/5)
The Lions picked up where they left off in the first game and scored four runs in the first and second innings to jump out to a commanding 8-0 lead. Penn St. Harrisburg hit five triples in the first two innings of play, including three straight in the first frame.
The Bison got a run back in the top of the fourth when Elsbury and 
Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) led off with singles, the only hits in the game for the Bison. The duo then pulled off a double steal to place two runners in scoring position. First year 
Olivia Taufu'i (Blackfoot, Idaho) reached on an error as Elsbury scored and Perry moved up to third with no outs. The next two batters popped out and the last out came when a runner got caught stealing to end the Bison rally.
The Lions tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Penn St. Harrisburg pitcher Carissa Yeager (5-4) picked up the win while Drolsbaugh (2-10) took the loss for the Bison.
UP NEXT
GU returns to the state of Pennsylvania this Saturday, April 20, for two conference games at Penn St.-Abington (14-16, 7-7 United East) with the first game slated to start at 1 p.m.