Late Rally Helps NHTI Slip Past Brandywine in USCAA First Round

DUBOIS, PA (NHTI) – A four-run fifth inning was the difference as No. 4 NHTI rallied past No. 5 Penn State Brandywine for a 4-3 victory at the USCAA Small College Softball World Series Monday afternoon at Heindl Memorial Field.

Five of the Lynx' seven hits came during the decisive fifth inning, including a two-out, two-run double off the bat of Kabrina Roy (Merrimack, N.H.) that broke a 2-2 tie, putting NHTI in front for good.

Facing all-American pitcher Tori Lemay (Manchester, N.H.), Brandywine put plenty of runners on base and built a 2-0 lead through four-and-a-half innings of play. Lemay finished the afternoon scattering three hits over seven innings while striking out eight.

Masha Lange (Plaistow, N.H.) opened up the scoring for NHTI on a single that drove in Lauren Mullen (Concord, N.H.) who led off the inning with a single of her own and advanced on a wild pitch during Lange's at-bat. Briana Whitcomb (Epsom, N.H.) drove in the second Lynx run on a single to center that drove in Briana Connolly (Allenstown, N.H.).

After NHTI went in front, Brandywine got one run back in the seventh when Alexa Anderson sent a home run over the left field fence.

The Lynx extended their winning streak to 24 games (28-5) and will play the winner of top-seed Cleary University and No. 9 RMU Springfield Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.