Winstead Comes Up Big In 3-2 Win Over PSU-Pehrend

THE BASICS 
Emmanuel College, 3 vs. Penn. State Behrend, 2

Records: 
Emmanuel Saints (3-2, 0-0 GNAC)
PSU Behrend Lions (3-4, AMCC)

Location: Winter Haven, Fla.

Date: Thursday, March 9, 2023

THE LEAD – First year third basemen Christyna Winstead (Uncasville, Conn.) went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to lift the Emmanuel College softball team past Penn. State Behrend, 3-2, Thursday morning in Day 3 action of The Spring Games in Winter Haven, Fla..

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Following two scoreless innings, Emmanuel got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Junior Lylah Niederberger (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) doubled to right-center and came around to score on an RBI single up the middle by sophomore Taylor Chelak (Westborough, Mass.).
• The Saints took advantage of three straight walks in the fourth to load the bases with one out before Winstead notched her first collegiate hit and RBI with a looping single down the right field line to drive in the second Emmanuel run and double the lead to 2-0.
• The Lions threatened for a big inning in the sixth by loading the bases with no outs thanks to singles from Emi Curcio (Perryopolis, Pa.), Cami McNany (Emlenton, Pa.) and Jocelyn McNany (Cranberry Township, Pa.) reaching via an EC error. First year Chloe McLaughlin (Greenville, Pa.) came to the plate with the bags juiced and belted a shot to centerfield. Chelak made a nice catch on her run to her right and made a heads up throw to second to double-up PSU pinch-runner Kamryn Gates-Bowerso (Union City, Pa.) for two outs. Curcio tagged up on the play to score and cut the Emmanuel lead to 2-1 but the Saints escaped the frame allowing just the one to preserve the one-run lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.
• Emmanuel got the run back thanks to a two-out RBI double to right-center by Winstead, driving in sophomore second baseman Amanda Penney (Warwick, R.I.) who reached earlier in the frame with a single to left. Penney scored what proved to be a huge insurance run to catapult EC ahead, 3-1.
• PSU did not make it easy for Emmanuel in the top of the seventh, putting two runners in scoring position for the second consecutive inning. With one out, Nicole DeRose (Amsterdam, N.Y.) and Kayla Salvini (McDonald, Pa.) collected back-to-back singles to put the tying runners on base. With two outs, Salvini came around to score on an RBI single up the middle by Curcio to make it a one-run game at 3-2 and thanks to an EC overthrow, the Lions had runners on second and third to represent the tying and go-ahead runs. EC senior pitcher Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) collected herself in the circle to retire the final out preserving the 3-2 Emmanuel victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Dawe went the distance to pick up her first win on the year surrendering seven hits over seven innings of work, allowing just the two runs while striking out six.
• Winstead and Chelak both finished the day going 2-for-3 at the plate while Penney finished the game going 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.
• Curcio and C. McNany paced the Lions with two hits each.
• PSU junior Kayla Lindberg (Austinburg, Ohio) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings of work, striking out three to fall to 1-1 on the season.

UP NEXT

• Emmanuel is back on the field this afternoon at 2:00 PM vs. Bluffton University.
• PSU has a quick turnaround facing Geneva today at 11:30 AM.