READING, Pa. – The Albright softball program hosted Cedar Crest in a non-conference doubleheader Friday afternoon. Both games took extra innings to determine a winner with the Lions winning game one 4-3 in eight and the Falcons earning a 2-1 decision in nine innings.
Cedar Crest (18-7) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first game. The Falcons began a two-out rally starting with a walk and single. Laura Rau drove in the first run of the game on a RBI double. Aimee Sarboukh's single plated two runs to extend Cedar Crest's lead.
The Lions (10-12) began their comeback in the second inning.
Kelly Cembrale singled through the right side for a two-out, RBI single to cut the deficit to two.
Albright knotted the score at three one inning later.
Abigail Lord started the third inning with a walk before
Regina Milburn sent the ball over the wall for her team-leading second home run of the season.
The game evolved into a pitching duel after the third inning sending the game into extra innings.
Britney Rodriguez entered the game as a pinch runner as Albright started the eighth inning with a runner on second base. Lord laid down a key bunt down the first base line that advanced Rodriguez to third. Rodriguez scored the game-winning run after a wild pitch from Rau.
Camille Sears struck out two and walked four over eight innings to earn the win for Albright.
The second game also was a pitching duel between Breanna Young and
Riley Gerenda, who struck out three and did not surrender a walk over nine innings.
Brittney Bonser led off the game with an infield single. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, Kaylee Martinez doubled to left center to score Bonser and give Cedar Crest a 1-0.
Milburn ignited a two-out rally in the bottom half of the frame as the third basemen doubled to right center. Sears followed suit smacking a double of her own to plate Milburn for the tying run.
Both pitchers battled on the mound with neither surrendering a run over the next seven innings.
Jamie Rivera entered the game as a pinch runner for Cedar Crest started the top of the ninth inning with a runner on second base. Rivera advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Rau, and would score the winning run two batters later. Dallas Horning delivered a two-out single to drive in Rivera to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.
Young got the Lions to record three groundouts to hold on for the win.
Albright continues its season on Monday afternoon when it travels to York for a non-conference doubleheader.
