Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Middletown, Pa. - The Nittany Lions softball squad got back to their winning ways with a sweep of Penn State Harrisburg earlier this afternoon, and not a moment too soon. With the playoff race in the NEAC South Division tightening up, Penn State Abington needed a pair of wins to get some breathing room on their competitors, and that's exactly what they got. The Nittany Lions got fantastic pitching from Michaela Drogalis en route to 1-0 and 5-2 victories over their midstate rivals.
 
Penn State Abington (18-17, 11-7 NEAC) took the victory in a pitching-dominated game one with an unearned run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Trish Watson started things with a single. A walk by Drogalis put runners at first and second, but a strikeout threatened to close the rally. However, Nicole Battaglio managed to put the ball in play in her next at bat, and the Harrisburg shortstop was unable to make a clean play on it, allowing Watson to score and giving Abington a 1-0 lead. Drogalis, meanwhile, was pitching masterfully on the mound. The sophomore gave up just two hits, while striking out four batters and walking nobody. In the bottom of the seventh, Drogalis frustrated the hosts by inducing three groundball outs to the right side to close out the victory.
 
Penn State Harrisburg (15-23, 8-10 NEAC) finally broke through for two runs in game two, but not before Abington jumped ahead in the second game with three runs in the first two innings. Drogalis helped her own cause with a two-RBI single to center in the top of the first, scoring Watson and Sheila O'Hagan. Then, in the second inning, O'Hagan drilled a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Mariellen Medernach and giving Abington a 3-0 lead. The hosts finally got on the board in the bottom of the third. A two-out, two-RBI single from Erika Love made it a 3-2 ballgame, but Drogalis got the next batter to foul out to right to end the threat.
 
That was as close as Harrisburg would get, as in the very next inning, O'Hagan did her usual damage that has become so familiar to Abington fans this season. The team's offensive leader added two more RBIs to her team-leading tally, sending a single through the middle to bring home Alyssa Virginio and Cara Fiala and give Abington their ultimate 5-2 victory.
 
Drogalis finished the day going all 14 innings pitched, allowing just eight hits and two earned runs while striking out eight. O'Hagan had probably the best offensive day for the Blue and White, going 2-for-6 with a run and three RBIs. The Nittany Lions, having now clinched a spot in the postseason, close their regular season out tomorrow afternoon on the road at Gallaudet. Be sure to check in at abingtonsports.com for all your updates on the Nittany Lions playoff news!