GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- A walk-off RBI double from
Kim Machalette in game two helped Gwynedd Mercy sweep a non-conference doubleheader over Penn State-Brandywine Saturday afternoon. The Griffins won a slugfest in game one, 17-9, while taking game two, 7-6.
After scoring five runs in the first inning of game one, the Griffins (8-2) saw the Lions plate four in the third. That's when Gwynedd crossed nine runs in the bottom half, highlighted by a grand slam from
Becki Christoffers and later a two-run single from Machalette.
Leading 17-7, going into the fifth, Penn State would score twice before a liner at second would end it.
Machalette,
Tara Matteo, and
Amanda Hesson all finished with four RBI's each. Jess Behr was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Hesson would add two doubles and also score three times along with
MaryKate Ballerino.
Alyssa Morales struck out five while yielding three earned runs over 11 hits to get the win.
In game two, both teams were scoreless for the first three innings. Ballerino would get GMercyU on the board with her RBI double to score Behr all the way from first. Later in the frame, she would score on a wild pitch as would Hesson and GM would lead 3-0.
Machalette started game two and was cruising until she got into trouble the sixth. After loading the bases, the Lions would eventually score six times to stake a 6-3 lead.
Gwynedd would take advantage of two errors in the bottom half and get another RBI hit from Machalette in the inning to knot the game back up.
Morales, who came on in relief in the sixth, started the seventh with back-to-back hits. After a strikeout, she would get a big double play to get out of the jam. Christoffers was able to snag a falling liner at short and get the force at second to end the threat.
In the bottom of the seventh, Matteo would work a two-out walk to get on base. Machalette would send a hard liner to center on the first pitch she saw over the outstretched glove of the fielder to cap a wild day.
The team plays on Thursday at Catholic in a twinbill.
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