'Wildcat Weekly' Takes You Into Championship Territory

Vol. 6, No. 38

Schedule/Results/Records (Through Sunday, May 6)

Archery

Thursday-Sunday, May 17-20 - at National Outdoor Collegiate Championships, Sparta, Ill.

Softball Final overall record: 23-6 Final PSUAC regular-season record: 18-2 Final overall PSUAC record: 22-3, champion

Tuesday, May 1 - host Penn State Hazleton at Elm Park, W, 13-3; L, 10-7 Wednesday, May 2 - host Penn State Scranton at Elm Park, W, 7-0 forfeit; W, 7-0 forfeit. Friday, May 4 - PSUAC Final Four at University Park vs. Penn State Mont Alto, W, 4-3 (eight innings); vs. Penn State Beaver, L, 7-6 Saturday, May 5 - PSUAC Championships at University Park vs. Penn State Hazleton, W, 2-1; vs. Penn State Beaver, W, 13-5 (five innings); vs. Penn State Beaver, W, 6-3

'Cat Tales Women's Softball In their final tune-up before stepping into the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs, the Lady Wildcats split with Penn State Hazleton. Lauren Fuller (South Williamsport) paced the offense by going 5-for-7 at the plate while Chelsea Lyons (Howard) went 4-for-4. Seven errors proved costly in the second-game loss.

Penn College opened the double-elimination PSUAC Final Four Friday with a 4-3, eight-inning win over Penn State Mont Alto. Renee Craig (Millville) picked up the win on the mound and helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 at the plate, while Lauren Fuller (South Williamsport) went 2-for-4. In its second game Friday, Penn College was edged by Penn State Beaver, 7-6, putting it one loss from elimination. Fuller went 2-for-4 in that game and Lisa Miller (Cogan Station) 3-for-4.

On Saturday, the Wildcats opened scored in the first and fifth innings against Penn State Hazleton and held on behind the seven-strikeout pitching of Craig to get a rematch against Penn State Beaver. Against Beaver, Penn College came out hot, scoring nine runs in the first inning that essentially salted that game away. Samantha Mills (Harrisburg) went 4-for-4 with four runs batted in, while Miller went 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Fuller also scored three runs in the 13-5 game that was stopped after five innings. That forced an "if" game for the championship, and the momentum continued in the Wildcats' favor, resulting in a 6-3 win and their first softball championship ever. In that game, Mills had a two-run double, Miller went 2-for-3 and both Michelle McNett (Canton) and Melissa Berrier (Mifflin) went 2-for-4. Kristin Bernard fanned six and was the winning pitcher.

"The girls brought tears to my eyes. I had a group of girls who were so dedicated to each other, had a love and passion for the game and never gave up, they never gave up," coach Roger Harris said. "They were always willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. I get tears just thinking about it.

"As a coach, I can coach the game of softball. I can teach them what to do on the ball field, but to coach that kind of spirit that comes from the heart. That's something I can't coach. They had pride and did it for each other. They were determined to bring home the first championship, and they did it," Harris added.

(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site ).