Game 1: Pitt-Greensburg 3, Penn State Altoona 0
Pitt-Greensburg opened Monday's AMCC doubleheader with a strong all-around performance, shutting out Penn State Altoona 3-0 behind dominant pitching and timely hitting.
The Bobcats struck early in the top of the first inning as Shelby Cloak led off with a single and later came around to score on Mia Dalessandro's RBI single to center, giving Pitt-Greensburg a quick 1-0 advantage.
From there, the game was controlled in the circle by Autumn Powell, who delivered six scoreless innings. Powell scattered four hits while striking out six, working efficiently and escaping Altoona's best scoring threat in the second inning when she stranded runners on the corners with a key pop-up.
Pitt-Greensburg added insurance in the fifth inning after a pair of singles from McKenzie Lamb and Powell set the table. With two runners on, Jessica Dunn came through with the biggest swing of the game, driving a two-run double to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
Dunn finished with two RBIs, while Cloak and Dalessandro each recorded two hits as part of an 11-hit effort for the Bobcats.
Kaetlin Caylao closed out the game in the seventh, stranding two runners and securing the shutout to give Pitt-Greensburg the opening win of the day.
Game 2: Penn State Altoona 8, Pitt-Greensburg 2
In game two, Pitt-Greensburg jumped out to an early lead but could not hold off a big middle-inning surge from Altoona, falling 8-2.
The Bobcats broke through first in the third inning, capitalizing on an Altoona error. Ryleigh Kasten came around to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of Jessica Dunn to make it 1-0.
After Altoona tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, Pitt-Greensburg answered right back in the fourth. Sadie Kelly singled to start the rally, and Kasten delivered again—this time with a double to left center that led to a run scoring on a defensive miscue, pushing the Bobcats back in front 2-1.
The turning point came in the fifth inning, when Altoona capitalized on defensive miscues to plate five runs. Despite recording just a handful of hits in the frame, the home team took advantage of errors and timely hits to flip the game from a one-run deficit into a 6-2 lead.
Altoona added two more runs in the sixth inning to extend the margin, while Pitt-Greensburg was unable to generate additional offense down the stretch.
Kasten led the Bobcats offensively with a hit and RBI, while Kelly added two hits. Pitt-Greensburg finished with four hits in the game.
The Bobcats will return to action Saturday with a non-conference doubleheader at Chatham.
