Softball secures best ever USCAA finish with win over St. Joseph's (VT)

FINAL SCORE: #6 Penn State Hazleton - 2, #5 College of St. Joe's - Vermont - 1

RECORDS: Penn State Hazleton (25-16) | College of St. Joe's - Vermont (24-17)

LOCATION: Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio

IN BRIEF:  Penn State Hazleton scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning after they were held to just three hits to that point in the game.  The College of St. Joe's would answer with a single run in the top of the sixth inning, but they couldn't tie the game in the seventh as they were held hitless to fall by a final score of 2-1.

HOW THEY SCORED: In the bottom of the fifth, Hazleton's Kayla Rhome hit a leadoff single followed by a single from Leanne Lagowski with a single down the left field line.  A groundout by Moriah Lynn advanced the runners setting up an RBI single for Sara Stauffer to give the Lady Lions a 1-0 lead.  With two outs, a fielding error by St. Joe's allowed the Lagowski to score the unearned run.

St. Joe's answered right away in the following at bat as Sierra Jaeger was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a Karlee Moore single.  Alana Todd earned the RBI for the Lady Saints, singling to left, scoring Jaeger. 

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: Penn State Hazleton was led offensively by Leanne Lagowski, Kayla Rhome and Sara Stauffer who all went 2 for 3 in the game with Stauffer getting credited with the RBI. 

Rhome was also in the circle, performing just as well on the defensive side, giving up 1 earned run through seven complete innings for an ERA of .66 in the game. 

The Lady Saints were led on offense by Allison Hinton who went 2 for 4 and Alana Todd who was 1 for 3 with 1 RBI.   

NEXT UP: With the win, Penn State Hazleton finishes in 5^th place with an overall record of 25-16.  St. Joseph's – Vermont, in their first ever appearance in the USCAA Softball Championship, claims sixth place with an overall record of 24-17.