PHOENIXVILLE, PA--- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College softball jumped out to early leads in both games of a Thursday non-conference road doubleheader against the University of Valley Forge Patriots (4-9) in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. York fell 13-4 in the opener, and injuries forced the early end of game two in the fourth inning, with the Patriots leading 16-4 from UVF Field. 

Game 1: Valley Forge 13, York 4 (5 Inn.)

• York threatened early as Simranjit Kaur walked and stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch, but UVF starter Clarissa Lockman (ND, 1.1 IP, 0 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) responded with back-to-back punchouts to escape the first-inning jam.
• From the circle, Kaur (L, 0-3: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 8 BB) surrendered two-straight singles in the first inning but stayed composed, inducing a fly out and a ground out to keep UVF off the scoreboard.
• York took the lead in the second inning as Jaylene Riley (2 R, BB, SB) sparked the offense by drawing a walk, stealing second, advancing to third on a groundout, and eventually scoring on a wild pitch. The Cardinals threatened further when Alyssa De La Rosa (1-for-2, 2 SB) was hit by a pitch and stole second and third. Madison Keir then reached base on a hit-by-pitch, forcing Lockman out of the game. Keir stole second before Harley Wakeman (W, 3-6: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO) helped end the threat with a strikeout followed by a ground out, leaving York ahead 1-0.
• Valley Forge leveled the score in the bottom of the inning as Abigail Wood's run-scoring double brought Sierra Brown home.
• York manufactured a two-out rally in the third inning, sparked by Melina Abreu's (1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 SB) single. Abreu stole second, advanced to third on a fielding error that allowed Riley to reach base, then scored on a passed ball. Faith Howes followed with an RBI single, driving in Riley to extend York's lead to 3-1.
• Kaur demonstrated poise and resilience in the bottom of the third, battling through a bases-loaded threat to post her second scoreless frame and keep York in control.
• Valley Forge responded in the fourth with a five-run surge, highlighted by Wakeman's (2-for-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB) two-RBI single to take a 4-3 lead. Two batters later, Lockman's (1-for-3, R, 3 RBI)  base hit drove in two more, giving UVF a 6-3 advantage that proved decisive.
• York threatened in the fifth as Jaymie Mateo (1-for-3, R) singled and Abreu reached on an error, allowing Mateo to score. With runners at first and second and one out, Wakeman recorded back-to-back outs to shut down the rally.
• Valley Forge erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure the win, fueled by three run-scoring walks, a run-scoring hit-by-pitch, a run-scoring error, and Melina Ragotzy's two-RBI double to settle the 13-4 scoreline.

Up Next
The Cardinals (0-5, 0-2 CUNYAC) are back in action Thursday (Apr. 9) with CUNYAC home contests against the Hunter College Hawks (2-16, 0-0 CUNYAC) starting at 2 p.m. from Padavan-Preller Fields.

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