Box Score Abington, Pa. - The Penn State Abington softball squad sent a strong message to the rest of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) earlier this afternoon when they took game one by a score of 14-7 against the College of Saint Elizabeth, before leading 15-5 after four innings in the second game when the game was called due to darkness. Despite the lead and with four innings in the book, game two is still incomplete and will be completed at a later date to make it official.
 
The Nittany Lions outscored CSE by a score of 29-12 in their doubleheader today to open NEAC play. Numerous players had fantastic days at the plate for the Blue and White, while Michaela Drogalis picked up a win by pitching all seven innings in the first game and four more in the second game that is still pending at this time.
 
In game one of the doubleheader, the Nittany Lions (6-3, 1-0 NEAC) got out to a quick start by putting three runs on the board in the top of the first. A fielder's choice by Sheila O'Hagan brought home the first run for the Blue and White. Then, Trish Watson laced a single into center field to plate another run in the next at bat. Watson was then thrown out trying to steal second base, but that play allowed O'Hagan to score from third at the same time, giving the Nittany Lions an early 3-0 advantage.
 
They would add on two more runs to their lead in the top of the second inning before the Screaming Eagles finally cut into the deficit with four runs in the bottom of the third. A passed ball and a steal of home scored two of the runs, but the big hit in the inning was a two-RBI double into left field that made the score 5-4 in favor of the Nittany Lions. Then, in the bottom of the fourth, St. Elizabeth actually took a 6-5 lead with a two-RBI double into center field.
 
However, it would be the last time that the home team would sniff the lead for the day. Abington got three runs back in the top of the fifth on a pair of doubles by Trish Watson and Michaela Drogalis. Then after CSE had scratched one back in the bottom of the fifth, the Nittany Lions tacked on three more in both the sixth and seventh to ultimately come away with the 14-7 victory.
 
In game two, Abington again jumped out to an early lead with runs in the first inning. Mariellen Medernach reached base on an error by the shortstop, allowing Ashley Quenzer to score the first run of the game for the Blue and White. Then, Drogalis lined a single into center field to score Medernach and give the Nittany Lions a 2-0 lead before St. Elizabeth had even seen a pitch.
 
When the Screaming Eagles did come to the plate in the bottom of the first, they promptly tied the game up with a pair of singles, making the score 2-2. The back-and-forth scoring continued when Abington came up in the top of the second. A pair of errors from the Screaming Eagles infield allowed three runs to score, giving the Blue and White back their lead. Again, the home team managed to tie the game back up, this time at 5-5, with two RBI singles and a fielder's choice.
 
Finally, in the top of the third, the Nittany Lions blew the game wide open. The Blue and White sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning, and scored eight runs to jump ahead once again by a 13-5 score. A pair of singles and an error brought in four of the runs, but the big hits in the inning were a pair of home runs from Sheila O'Hagan and Michaela Drogalis. The three-RBI roundtripper was the fourth of the year for O'Hagan, while Drogalis' was her first on the season.
 
Mariellen Medernach helped the Nittany Lions' cause with two more RBIs in the top of the fourth on a single to center before play was finally called due to darkness prior to the start of the fifth with Abington holding on to a 15-5 lead. The ultimate result of the game is yet to be determined by the conference office and will be completed at a future date to make it official.
 
On the day, Medernach lead the way by going 4-for-9 with five RBIs and three runs. O'Hagan added four RBIs of her own, while Alyssa Virginio, Trish Watson, Michaela Drogalis, and Nicole Battaglio all chipped in with three RBIs apiece. The Nittany Lions will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they kick off a four game homestand against Scranton. Game one is set to start at 4:00 pm.