ABINGTON, Pa - The Abington softball team opened NEAC competition with an 8-6 victory over Gallaudet University in the first game of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions began game two with a bang, scoring eight runs in the first inning. However, the game was rescheduled until Sunday due to inclement weather.

The Nittany Lions improve to 3-1-1 on the season and 1-0 in the NEAC while Gallaudet drops to 3-15 and 0-1 in the conference.

In game one, the Bison took an early 2-0 lead on a two-out single that drove in two RBIs.

Abington answered in the bottom of the inning. With bases loaded, Michaela Drogalis (Croydon, Pa.) singled to right field. She drove in two runs and tied Gallaudet 2-2.

Freshman pitcher, Jennifer Rakita (Langhorne, Pa), shut down the Bison with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the top of the third and fourth.

The offense came alive for the Nittany Lions in the bottom of the fourth. With no outs and two men on base, Breanna Lineman (Philadelphia, Pa) sliced a single to right center field to give Abington a 3-2 lead. Emily Mattes (Middletown, Pa.) stepped up to the plate and lined a double to right center field to drive in two more runs for the Nittany Lions. But Abington wasn't finished. Greta Sheridan (Horsham, Pa.) slammed a two-run homerun for Abington, which gave them a 7-2 lead by the end of the inning.

The Bison tried to mount a comeback by chipping away at their deficit with two more runs in the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Melissa Craig (Westville, N.J. ) drove in another run on a fielder's choice giving the Nittany Lions a 8-4 lead.

Gallaudet added two more runs, but Rakita pulled out the win. She finished with three strikeouts and five earned runs.

The conclusion of game two will be played tomorrow, Sunday March 29^th, at 11:00 a.m. before the next doubleheader to finish the series.