BETHANY, W.Va. – The Penn State Altoona softball team continued its momentum built at the end of its week in South Carolina, as the Lions swept non-conference opponent Bethany College in a doubleheader on Thursday at Bison Field.

The doubleheader sweep gave Penn State Altoona (6-4) its third and fourth consecutive wins in its schedule. The Lions took care of Bethany (0-8) 11-4 in game one, then defeated the Bison 7-2 in game two.

Game One: Penn State Altoona 11, Bethany 4

Penn State Altoona found itself in a close game with Bethany through six innings, clinging to a 5-4 lead. But the Lions broke the game open with a six-run seventh inning to finish with a comfortable victory.

Brooke Colledge (Everett, PA/Everett) went 2-for-3 with her first home run of the season, three runs scored, and one run batted in. Cameryn Feathers (Martinsburg, PA/Central) was also 2-for-3 with two runs scored, one RBI, one walk, and a stolen base. Hanna Lauck (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Gianna Hoppel (Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County) finished 1-for-3 with her first home run of the year, recording two runs scored, two RBI, and one walk. Madalyn Maynard (Towanda, PA/Towanda) hit her first collegiate home run, and Karli Storm (Chest Springs, PA/Cambria Heights) had a double and two RBI.

Madison Peters (Bellefonte, PA/Bald Eagle) earned her fourth win of the season in the pitching circle in a complete game effort. In seven innings, she allowed just two earned runs while scattering six hits, walking none, and striking out four batters.

Penn State Altoona grabbed the lead in the top of the first on a solo home run by Colledge. The Lions tacked three more runs on to their total in the top of the third, when Feathers' RBI single up the middle and Hoppel's two-run homer to left made it 4-0.

Bethany narrowed the gap to 4-3 after four, picking up one run in the bottom of the third and two in the fourth.

Penn State Altoona got one run back in the fifth, when Colledge reached on a single with one out and later scored on a wild pitch. But Bethany responded with a run of its own in the bottom half of the fifth, making it a one-run game again, 5-4.

The Lions widened the gap with a six-run top of the seventh. Maynard led off the frame with a home run to left, and Lauck's RBI single to right made it 7-4. Storm followed with a two-run double to right, before Madison Lucas (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) added an RBI groundout and Peters contributed an RBI single to make it 11-4.

Game Two: Penn State Altoona 7, Bethany 2

Penn State Altoona had another all-around productive game in the second half of the doubleheader, getting more good hitting, pitching, and defense.

Alyssa Fisher (Lock Haven, PA/Central Mountain) recorded her second win of the season in the pitching circle, tossing a complete game. Over seven innings, she allowed just two runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out four Bethany batters.

At the plate, Fisher went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored. Colledge was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, and Hoppel was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.

Lucas hit her first collegiate home run, finishing the game 1-for-2 with three runs scored, one RBI, and one walk.

Penn State Altoona scored at least one run over its first five straight innings.

In the top of the first, Fisher led off with a single and Colledge followed with an RBI double to left-center. In the second, Lucas led off the frame by homering to left. In the third, Lauck's RBI double to right-center drove in Hoppel to make it 3-0.

After Bethany picked up a run in the bottom of the third, Penn State Altoona got a pair of runs across on Fisher's two-run double and Colledge's RBI single in the top half of the fourth. Fisher's fielder's choice grounder in the top of the fifth scored Lucas, increasing the Lions' lead to 7-1.

The Bison got a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Penn State Altoona held Bethany scoreless the rest of the way.

Penn State Altoona softball returns to action on Saturday, March 25, when the Lions travel to face non-conference opponent Penn College at 1 p.m.