SELINSGROVE, PA – The York College softball team earned a split of a non-conference twin bill at Susquehanna on Wednesday afternoon in Selinsgrove, PA. The River Hawks notched a 5-4 walk-off win in the opener before the Spartans bounced back to earn a 5-2 victory in the nightcap.
 
Game One
Records: York 8-11; Susquehanna 12-10
Runs: York 4; Susquehanna 5
Hits: York 10; Susquehanna 7
Errors: York 1; Susquehanna 1
WP: Amanda Amerman (1-1); LP: Natalie Rietema (5-5)
 
How It Happened
• The River Hawks seized control of the game early as Erin Bean drew a lead-off walk. After Spartan starter Natalie Rietema retired the next two hitters, Ashley Warner walked. Morgan Henry had an infield hit to load the bases. Rosemarie Mirabella singled to center to score Bean and Warner, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead.
• Susquehanna added to their lead in the second as Kassidy Smith was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Smith then stole second before Emily Deitch drew a walk. The duo put together a double steal and Smith scored as the ball got away from the Spartans at third. After a ground out and a strike out, Lexi Palumbo doubled to left, driving in Deitch for the 4-0 lead.
• The middle three innings were scoreless as neither team could put together a run-scoring rally. The Spartans finally broke up the shutout in the top of the sixth. Alyssa Harhigh walked to lead off the inning. Amanda Criss singled to short to put Spartans at first and second. Bri McKeown singled to right center and Harhigh scampered home for the Spartans' first run of the game. A passed ball then allowed the Spartans second run to score as they sliced the Susquehanna lead in half. The Green and White struck out in their next two at-bats as they couldn't do any more damage in the inning.
• York came back in the seventh to plate a pair of runs, tying the game at four. Taylor Coon led off the inning with a single. She was bunted over to second and came around to score on a Harhigh single. A Susquehanna error put Spartans at the corners and a wild pitch allowed Harhigh to score the game tying run. Unfortunately, on that play the Spartan pinch runner at first was thrown out a third on an ill-advised sprint from second. The River Hawks got out of the top of the inning without any further damage.
• The River Hawks pushed across the game winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Henry led off the inning with a double to center. Pinch hitter Brianna Jones drew a walk to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt moved each runner up 60 feet, Smith drew another walk to load the bases. After a strikeout for out number two, Bean drew a bases loaded walk to end the game.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Bri McKeown: 2-for-4, RBI
Taylor Coon: 2-for-4, 1 run
Amanda Criss: 2-for-4
Alyssa Harhigh: 1-for-2, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 6.2 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 6 K, 8 BB, 2 HB
 
Game Two
Record: York 9-11; Susquehanna 12-11
Runs: York 5; Susquehanna 2
Hits: York 8; Susquehanna 6
Errors: York 0; Susquehanna 1
WP: Amanda Criss (4-3); LP: Brianna Jones (7-2)
 
How It Happened
• The game was scoreless through the first two and a half innings before Susquehanna got a run in the bottom of the third. Hailey Kaba doubled to left center to score Erin Bean for the 1-0 River Hawk lead.
• The Spartans wasted little time in answering in the top of the fourth as Daphney Adams had a squeeze bunt to score Alyssa Harhigh with the tying run. York took the lead in the top of the fifth as Morgan Sauers singled to right to put Spartans at the corners with two outs. Harhigh was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bri McKeown promptly ripped a single to left to score a pair, putting York up 3-1.
• The River Hawks cut into the Spartan lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth after there was two outs in the frame. Lexi Palumbo doubled to left center and scored on a Zoe Bork pinch hit single to center.
• The Spartans got a pair of clutch insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Harhigh had an RBI triple to score one and then she came around to dent the plate on a McKeown RBI single to left. Spartan starter Amanda Criss surrendered a pair of hits in the bottom of the seventh but got out of it to earn the complete game win.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Bri McKeown: 2-for-4, 3 RBI
Alyssa Harhigh: 2-for-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 3B, SB
Taylor Coon: 1-for-4, 1 run
Daphney Adams: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2B
 
Spartan Pitching
Amanda Criss: 7.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans are now 20-40 all-time against Susquehanna … the game two win snaps a seven-game losing streak to the River Hawks … prior to the game two win, York had not earned a win over Susquehanna since March 22, 2012 … game one was the Spartans third walk-off loss of the season … York issued a season-high eight walks in the game one loss … the Spartans allowed ten free runners to Susquehanna as they walked eight and hit two more hitters … shortstop Alyssa Harhigh was caught stealing for the first time since the 2021 season and then was successful in game two as she is 13-for-14 this year … Harhigh is now 53-for-58 in stolen bases for her career … her 53 stolen bases rank fourth on the all-time career list … Bri McKeown tied her career-high with three RBI in game two.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to action on Saturday as they host Ithaca in a non-conference doubleheader at Spartan Stadium. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 12:00 pm.