HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona softball team remained undefeated by the end of Tuesday's non-conference doubleheader versus Penn State Harrisburg, as the Lions secured a win in game one before settling on a tie in game two at Pollock Memorial Field.

Penn State Altoona (3-0-1) used a balanced effort to earn a 6-2 win in game one of the doubleheader. In game two, Penn State Harrisburg (0-3-1) stormed back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, before play was halted due to darkness.

As a team, the Lions finished the day with a combined 23 hits while getting two solid starts in the pitching circle.

"We had a good day at the plate again, but still need to clean some of the little things up," said Penn State Altoona head coach Joe Merilli. "Had some good outings in the circle, but was disappointed to not get the win in game two. At 3-0-1, we are still learning about ourselves, and I have confidence we will continue to improve as the season progresses."

Game One: Penn State Altoona 6, Penn State Harrisburg 2

Penn State Altoona grabbed an early lead and maintained it throughout the game. The Lions built a 3-0 advantage through two-and-a-half innings and limited Harrisburg to just two runs in the contest.

Four different players recorded two hits. Brooke Colledge (Everett, PA/Everett) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases, while Casey Reese (Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria) was also 2-for-4 with one run batted in and one run scored. Kristen Hewitt (Coalport, PA/Glendale) finished with a 2-for-4 effort, and Makenzie Lukehart (Utahville, PA/Glendale) went 2-for-5 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored.

Madison Lucas (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored, a stolen base, and a walk. Olivia Miller (West Newton, PA/Yough) went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, and Olivia Smith (Martinsburg, PA/Central) was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Reese started in the circle for Penn State Altoona and recorded the win, improving to 3-0 this season. She pitched a complete game for the Lions, going seven innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out five batters.

A pair of errors by Harrisburg in the top of the first inning helped Penn State Altoona get a run across. With two outs, Colledge singled to center and moved up to second on an outfield error. The next batter, Reese, reached on an infield error, which allowed Colledge to come home.

The Lions loaded the bases in the top of the third and capitalized by scoring two more runs. After singles by Lukehart, Reese, and Hewitt set the table for Penn State Altoona, Miller followed with a bases-loaded walk and Lucas hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-0.

Harrisburg got on the board in the bottom of the third, when Sarah Coolbaugh's sac fly to right made it 3-1.

But Penn State Altoona got that run back in the next frame. The second batter of the inning, Smith, singled to right, and Lukehart drove her in during the next at-bat with a triple that got the Lions' lead back to three runs, 4-1.

Harrisburg made it a two-run game again, when Coolbaugh doubled and later scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom half of the fifth.

But the Lions answered quickly again, when they tacked a run on to their total in the sixth. With two outs, Colledge singled and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Reese's base hit up the middle drove her in, making it 5-2.

Penn State Altoona added a run in the seventh on Smith's sac fly to center.

Harrisburg threatened in the bottom of the seventh, as the first two batters of the inning reached on singles. But the Lions used a strikeout and a double play to get out of the inning and clinch the win.

Game Two: Penn State Altoona 6, Penn State Harrisburg 6

The Lions nearly pulled off the doubleheader sweep, holding a 6-2 lead entering the bottom of the seventh. But Harrisburg rallied for four runs in the frame, tying the score 6-6. However, with the potential go-ahead run at third base for the home team, play was suspended due to darkness, and the game was officially called a tie.

Hewitt went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a double, a triple, two runs scored, and one RBI. Colledge finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored, and Jayde Burge (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Lukehart started at pitcher for the Lions, going five innings and allowing just one earned run. Reese entered in relief to toss 1 1/3 innings before play was halted.

Penn State Altoona drew first blood in the top of the second, when Lucas' sac fly to right brought in the game's first run.

In the fourth, another sac fly by Lucas increased the Lions' lead to 2-0. On the play, a throwing error allowed Hewitt to score, upping the visitors' advantage to three.

Harrisburg trimmed the difference to two in the bottom half of the fourth inning, when Steph Reider's sac fly to center plated a run to make it 3-1.

But Penn State Altoona widened its lead in the fifth, as Colledge's RBI double to center and Hewitt's RBI single to center put the Lions ahead by four, 5-1. An RBI single from Lukehart in the top of the sixth made it 6-1.

Harrisburg loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth, but they came away with only one run and trailed Penn State Altoona 6-2 entering the seventh.

After Harrisburg stranded three Penn State Altoona base runners in the top of the seventh, the home team put together a rally in the bottom of the inning. Coolbaugh's two-run single up the middle cut into the Lions' lead, and run-scoring base hits from Reider and Delaney Nevius evened the score at 6-6. But, after a wild pitch put the go-ahead run at third with one out, the game was called due to darkness.

Penn State Altoona softball will return to action this Friday, April 2 on campus, when the Lions will host Pitt-Greensburg for a doubleheader at Stewart Athletic Field beginning at 1:00 p.m. That doubleheader was originally scheduled to happen on Thursday, but it was moved to Friday due to the expectation of cold temperatures, wind, and wet field conditions.

Additionally, Friday's doubleheader will be regarded as a non-conference matchup. While Pitt-Greensburg is an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent, Penn State Altoona's official conference games against the Bobcats are not until April 21.