READING, Pa. – The Albright Lions softball team started off fast in game two as they salvaged a split in their senior day non-conference doubleheader against York on Monday afternoon as they won 3-2 after falling 5-0 in game one.
 
With the split, the Lions record moves to 13-16 overall as they have two more doubleheaders left in the regular season this week. Meanwhile, the Spartans of the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) record moves to 24-13-1 overall.
 
The Lions offense never fully got going in the first game as they did not get a hit until the bottom of the fourth inning. On the other side, the Spartans got a run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly after they loaded the bases. York then added to its lead in the top of the third by scoring two runs on a hit and an error. After a leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt, the Spartans grabbed their first run of the inning on an RBI double before the second run came home on a fielding error with two outs. Albright got its first base runner of the game on a walk in the bottom of the third, and had a chance to score in the bottom of the fourth after loading the bases with two outs. Unfortunately for the Lions, a pop up ended the frame. York would finish their scoring in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run after a single with one out. Albright once again put runners on base with two outs in the fifth, but could not get anything across. All in total, the Lions left eight runners on base for the game.
 
Junior Kelly Cembrale led the Lions by going 2-of-3 from the plate, while junior Stephany Courtney, Stephanie Pomante, senior Armida Roman, and Zoe Robertson all tallied one hit each. Senior pitcher Riley Gerenda suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits in seven innings to get the complete game, while striking out three and walking three. York pitcher Ginger Lewis earned the complete game shutout after allowing six hits and struck out nine batters.
 
The Lions offense came out blazing in game two by scoring three runs on five hits. A pair of singles from sophomore Jessica Rodriguez and Courtney set the stage for sophomore Camille Sears to belt her team-leading fourth home run of the season to right field to give the Lions a 3-0 lead. Albright's hot start knocked Spartan starting pitcher, Melissa Jurkiewicz, out of the game with one out in the first. York responded in the top of the second by loading the bases with no outs on two singles and a walk. The Spartans scraped out two runs on a sacrifice fly, and a fielder's choice when the Lions unsuccessfully attempted to get the Spartan lead runner out at home on a ground ball. With runners on second and third with one out, Sears managed to escape the frame with a pair of groundouts. Sears again escaped potential trouble in the top of the third after two Spartans reached on singles with one out. A leadoff double from Sears started the Lions off right in the bottom of the third before they loaded the bases with two outs. Again, the Lions could not get anything across as a called strike three ended the inning. After the Lions left two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth, Sears again escaped with no damage with two more Spartans on bases with just one out.
 
Sears stranded a potential tying run on second base in the top of the sixth before setting down the Spartans 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to earn the complete game win. Rodriguez and Sears each went 2-of-3 from the plate to lead the Lions in game two with Sears grabbing three RBIs on her home run. In the circle, Sears tallied her sixth win of the season after allowing two earned runs on six hits, while striking out two batters. Jurkiewicz suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs on four hits in a third of an inning. Samantha Kiser relieved Jurkiewicz and tossed 5.2 of shutout ball, while allowing four hits and striking out five batters.
 
The Lions will return to action on Thursday, April 26^th when they will play a non-conference doubleheader at Elizabethtown at 3 p.m.