Williamsport, PA - Mountie softball battled throughout a Thursday doubleheader at Penn College but ultimately came up short in both contests, falling 2-0 in a tightly contested pitcher's duel before dropping game two 7-5 despite a spirited late-inning rally. The Mounties showcased strong pitching and timely hitting across the two games, but were unable to overcome early deficits and missed opportunities as Penn College completed the sweep in Williamsport.
Game One: Mounties Drop Pitcher's Duel Despite Strong Outing from Koptcho
The two teams combined for 20 strikeouts in a low-scoring battle dominated by both starters.
Jessica Koptcho (Mountain Top, Pa., Crestwood) delivered one of her strongest performances of the season in the circle, tossing a complete game while striking out 10. The right-hander allowed just two runs on seven hits and kept the Mounties within striking distance throughout.
Penn College broke through early, plating a run in the first inning on an RBI double, before adding an insurance run in the sixth (also an RBI double) to account for all the scoring.
Offensively, the Mounties were limited to five hits but managed to put runners on base throughout the game. Hanna Stedman (Washington, Pa., Trinity), Isabela Marquez (Greensburg, Pa., Greensburg Central Catholic), Sarah Henninger (DuBois, Pa., DuBois), Alysha Cutri (Imperial, Pa., Bishop Canevin), and Greysyn Gable (Kylertown, Pa., West Branch Area HS) each recorded a hit, with Gable's double accounting for the team's lone extra-base knock. However, the Mounties were unable to string together timely hits, leaving six runners on base.
Penn College's Mackenzi Tice matched Koptcho pitch-for-pitch, striking out 10 over a complete-game shutout to earn the win.
Game Two: Sixth-Inning Surge Not Enough as Mounties Fall in Nightcap
The Mounties showed resilience in game two of Thursday's doubleheader, erupting for five runs in the sixth inning, but ultimately fell 7-5 to Penn College to complete the sweep.
The Mounties found themselves in an early hole, as Penn College scored twice in the first and added four more in the second inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead. The Wildcats later tacked on another run in the fifth to extend the margin to seven.
Despite the deficit, Mount Aloysius mounted an impressive comeback in the sixth. Taking advantage of defensive miscues, the Mounties got on the board before delivering key hits to fuel the rally. Stedman highlighted the inning with a two-RBI single, while Ava Doyle (Blanchard, Pa, Central Mountain) added an RBI knock. The Mounties capitalized on two Penn College errors in the frame, scoring five runs (two earned) to cut the deficit to 7-5.
At the plate, Mount Aloysius produced 10 hits in the contest. Maggie Cypher (Kittanning, Pa., Armstrong) led the way with a three-hit performance, while Stedman, Doyle, and Henninger each recorded two hits. Henninger also added a triple as part of the Mounties' offensive effort.
Isabella Shupp (Danville, Pa, Meadowbrook Christian School) went the distance in the circle, allowing seven runs (five earned) while working through traffic against a potent Penn College lineup.
The late push, however, would be as close as the Mounties would get, as Penn College's bullpen shut the door over the final inning and a half to secure the sweep.
Up Next: The Mounties (5-17, 1-5 AMCC) will hop back into AMCC play as they travel to Alfred State (8-9, 3-1 AMCC) on Sunday. The games will be played at 1 and 3 pm at Pioneer Park in Alfred, NY.
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