McGhee's six hits highlight SB split

The Penn State Fayette softball team split a pair of Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) games at Penn State Greater Allegheny Wednesday, and in the process, it picked up the first conference win of the Alex Rohlf era.  After the games, she spoke about the 8-3 loss in the first game and the 10-3 bounce back win in the second.

"The first game, we made too many mistakes," the first-year head coach said. "We weren't hitting the ball well and had a few mental mistakes.  They came out hitting and we didn't.  In the second game, we were able to find our offense which allowed us to score early and often.  We cleaned it up (from the first game) and played the way we are capable of playing."

Sammi McGhee (Hutchison, PA/Yough HS) led off the game with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a GA error.  The hosts scored twice in the first, once in the second and the third, and it scored four runs in the fourth to take an 8-1 lead.  Kelsey Holp (Grindstone, PA/Frazier HS) doubled in Lauran Minerd (Uniontown, PA/Albert Gallatin HS), and Holp scored on a GA error to close out the scoring.

McGhee finished with three doubles in the leadoff spot to pace Fayette while Cassidy Uphold (Grantsville, MD/Northern Garrett HS) added two singles.  Five GA players recorded two hits with Maura Ryan leading the way with a home run and a single.  Hayley White (Cumberland, MD/Allegany HS) took the loss in the circle as she gave up four runs, all earned, and seven hits in three innings.  Courtney McKlveen (Ligonier, PA/Ligonier HS) pitched the last three innings and also gave up four runs.

Fayette (3-7 overall, 1-3 PSUAC) jumped out early on GA (2-6, 1-1) in the second game as it scored two runs in the first inning and three more in the second.  McGhee also led off the second game with a double and scored on an Uphold single.  Lauren Mastowski (Dawson, PA/Frazier HS) doubled in Uphold to make the score 2-0.  In the second, Fayette scored its three two-out runs.  After McGhee singled, Uphold doubled her in and then Mastowski doubled in two runs.

GA scored a run in the third to make the score 5-1, but Fayette countered with three runs in the fourth.  Mastowski doubled in two more runs and then Brianna Hunt (Berlin, PA/Berlin Brothersvalley HS) doubled Mastowski in.  Fayette put the game away in the sixth with two more runs.  After doubling in Hunt, Holp eventually scored on a passed ball.  GA scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to close out the scoring.

Mastowski (three doubles), McGhee (double and two singles) and Uphold (double and two singles) paced Fayette's 12-hit attack with Hunt adding a pair of doubles and Holp having one.  The team finished with eight doubles for the game.  Mastowski drove in five runs.  Sydney Creary and Natalie Heltebran led GA offensively with two hits each.

Rohlf was pleased with her team's bats and McKlveen's performance in the circle.  She went the distance on the mound giving up three earned runs and nine hits and struck out four batters.

"I want to highlight Sammi's breakout," Rohlf said. "She found her swing and was able to use her speed to create offense at the top of the order.  Cassidy and Lauren continue to swing hot bats as well.  Courtney was really a workhorse in these games, keeping their offense off-balance."

Fayette hosts Westmoreland County Community College Friday for a doubleheader.  The first game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.  then on Saturday, Fayette heads to Penn State New Kensington (0-2, 0-2) for a conference twin bill.  The first game is scheduled for 1 p.m.

For more information on the Penn State Fayette softball team, go tohttps://www.psfathletics.com/sports/sball/index or follow the team on Instagram @fayetteathletics.