ABINGTON, Pa. – The Penn State Abington softball team snapped its nine game skid with a pair of wins over the College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE) in a conference doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. The Nittany Lions took game one, 9-1, and game two, 6-5 in eight innings.
 
With the victory, Abington improves to 7-5 in the NEAC and 13-12 on the season, while CSE drops to 2-9 in the conference and 7-10 on the year.
 
Prior to the start of the doubleheader, both teams had to complete a game from April 3^rd, which was suspended due to darkness. With Abington up to bat, leading 15-5 in the top of fifth, the game concluded with no change in the score as the Nittany Lions mustered up two hits but could not bring a run across in the final inning.  In the bottom of fifth, Abington pitcher, Michaela Drogalis wrapped up the game with a 1-2-3 inning to officially record her 11^th win on the day.
 
Junior Sam Kidd went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a pair of runs, while Drogalis also went 2-for-3 with four RBIs with a run scored in game one to lead the Nittany Lions before junior catcher Sheila O'Hagan went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in game two.
 
Abington struck early into the first inning of game one with the bases loaded before Kidd singled out through the left side to round all three runners safely home to take the 3-0 lead. The damage continued as Drogalis followed suit with an RBI single through the right side, scoring Kidd from first, for the 4-0 lead at the end of first.
 
After a 1-2-3 punch by Drogalis in the top of second, the bats remained hot at the plate for Abington as two batters reach base off a pair of CSE errors to put runners on the corners. Senior third baseman Mariellen Medernach attempted to steal second, only to be picked off on the play, allowing Cara Fiala to score a run on the throw unearned to make it a 5-0 ball game in favor of the Nittany Lions.
 
The bases once again loaded up with Nittany Lion runners off a trio of fielder's choice, before Drogalis belted a 3-RBI double out to left center to clear the bases for the 8-0 lead. Nicole Battaglio stepped up to the plate next and followed suit with an RBI single to center field to add another run for Abington.
 
After both teams closed out the third inning with a 1-2-3 play, the Screaming Eagles found their way onto the scoreboard late into the fourth inning as Kelly O'Dell scored the first and only run on an error by Abington's leftfielder for CSE.
 
Drogalis completed the game with another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth to end the game on the mercy rule, picking up her 12^th win of the season. Drogalis pitched all five innings, allowing a run on two hits.
 
In the nightcap, the tempo completely changed as CSE struck first off a single by Madellyn Rodriguez for an RBI single to center field.
 
The lead did not last long for the Screaming Eagles as Abington quickly responded in the bottom of second as Kidd singled out to left center before Drogalis singled off a bunt, but a throwing error by CSE's pitcher, allowed her to advance over to third, giving Kidd the opportunity to tie up the game. Battaglio saw a gap out at center field and belted one for an RBI single, bringing Drogalis across the plate to give Abington the 2-1 lead of the game. The scoring spree didn't end there as freshman left fielder Ashley Beyer managed to reach first on a fielder's choice before stealing second and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher to put Abington into scoring position once again. Another error plagued CSE as Medernach reached first on a fielding error by the second baseman to advance to second, allowing Beyer to score, giving the Nittany Lions a 3-1 cushion after two innings.
 
Drogalis continued to fluster the Screaming Eagle batters in the next four innings, allowing just four hits as Abington extended the lead once again in the fourth. After Alyssa Virginio reached base on a fielder's choice, O'Hagan wasn't fooled by an off-speed pitch and homered over to center field to add two additional runs, to make it a 5-1 ball game.
 
However, Abington quickly discover, no lead is safe as CSE began a late rally in the top of seventh. The bases quickly filled up with Screaming Eagle runners off a single, fielder's choice and a walk, Alesandria De Sapio wasn't fooled on a inside pitch and posted a 2-RBI single up through the middle, cutting the deficit to just three runs for CSE. Abington continued to struggle defensively as CSE's Jessica Scairpon doubled up through the middle in the same sweet spot to bring a run across home, unearned.
With one out and a runner in scoring positions at second and third, Karina Garcia grounded out to second for an RBI to tie up the game at five runs apiece. Drogalis managed to get out of the jam for the third ground out, however the damage was already done as Abington gave up four runs on three hits and one error.
 
With Abington at bat in the bottom of seventh, the pressure was on, but CSE's pitcher, Katrina Kelly, flustered the batters, allowing just one hit in the inning to end the regulation and force the extra inning.
 
After both teams made several substitutions with CSE placing a runner at second per the tiebreaker rule in the eighth, after the first out, CSE pulled off a successful bunt for a single, placing the runners on the corners. Drogalis, once again flustered the batters at the plate to end the inning with a pop out and a ground out, leaving two CSE runners on the bases.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Melissa Craig subbed for Battaglio and was placed on second. With the batting order falling onto Beyer, the freshman left fielder grounded over to third, who then performed a routine throw to first, only to throw it high and wild over the first baseman's head for an error as the Nittany Lions watched Craig cross over the plate for the unearned winning run.
 
Drogalis improved to 13-9 on the year with the thrilling win after she struck out three batters and allowed six runs on 12 hits on the mound.  At the plate, Drogalis went 4-for-7 with a double for 4 RBIs and two runs scored on the day for a .571 average.
 
Battaglio finished 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs for a .600 average, while Kidd went 4-for-7 with 3 RBIs and three runs scored.
 
The Nittany Lions will return to action on Thursday for a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Trinity Washington University (D.C.) in a non-conference game.