NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — First year hurlers Sage Smeltz (Tower City, Pa. / Williams Valley) and Isabelle Engel (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore Area) spun complete-game wins in their collegiate debuts and senior Claire Alexander (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area) drove in three runs in the nightcap as the Lycoming College softball team started their 2026 campaign with a 4-2 victory over Penn State-Harrisburg and a 7-5 triumph over Albion College on Monday, March 9, at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex
Lycoming (2-0) began their run of eight games in five days in South Carolina by falling behind early in each contest, but quickly taking control and hanging on for a pair of two-run victories.
Trailing 2-1 after three frames in the opener, Smeltz helped her own cause with a leadoff single in the fourth, then moved to third on a double from senior Ashley Forrest (Red Hill, Pa. / Upper Perkiomen) and scored on a single to right from senior Mallory Rodarmel (Montoursville, Pa. / Loyalsock Township) to tie the game. Two batters later, Alexander rolled a grounder to first that scored Forrest for the go-ahead tally.
Two innings later, Smeltz began another rally with her third hit, a single to right, and advanced all the way to third on an error. Forrest followed with a single to score Smeltz to put the Warriors up by a pair.
Lycoming took a quick lead when the first two hitters walked, then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. With one out, senior Alex Eckerson (Hopatcong, N.J. / Morris Catholic) scampered home on a wild pitch to give the Warriors a 1-0 advantage.
Penn State-Harrisburg responded with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the first, plating their runs on RBI singles from Lauren Maguire and Madisen Minney. Smeltz, however, put the clamps on afterwards, retiring 14 straight batters at one point and allowing just a pair of infield singles over the final six frames.
Smeltz (1-0) worked all seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in a 107-pitch effort in her collegiate debut. She added a 3-for-4 effort with two runs scored at the plate. Forrest and Rodarmel each went 2-for-4 with an RBI as the bottom four hitters in the Lycoming lineup stroked eight of the 10 Warrior hits.
The nightcap against Albion began with an unearned run for the Britons, but the Warriors responded by putting the first six runners aboard in the second and plating three runs. After loading the bases with no outs, senior Kristen George (Montoursville, Pa. / Montoursville Area) singled home a run, then Alexander and Eckerson drew bases-loaded walks to push the Warriors ahead 3-1.
One inning later, Alexander belted a two-run double to the wall in left-center, driving home senior Hailee Sobieski (Wharton, N.J. / Morris Catholic) and George. Eckerson followed with an RBI single that was deflected into shallow left field to score Alexander, putting Lycoming up 6-1 with their second-straight three-run frame. Engel then aided her own cause by driving in first year Patricia Williams (Brick, N.J. / Brick Memorial) with a fielder's choice in the fourth for a six-run cushion.
Albion collected four straight hits and three runs to start the fourth inning, including a two-run triple from Kaitlyn Ruselink. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly scored Ruselink to close the gap to 7-5, but Engel weathered the storm with no further damage. Albion loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Engel again held the line before spinning a 1-2-3 seventh to slam the door.
Engel (1-0) worked all seven frames, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits, one walk, and one strikeout, throwing 76 of her 102 pitches for strikes. Alexander doubled, walked, and drove in three runs, while Eckerson notched two hits and two RBIs. George, Sobieski, and Rodarmel all had two hits for the Warriors, who stroked 11 hits in the second contest.
The Warriors will be back in action tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10, for an 11 a.m. first pitch against Bridgewater State followed by a 3 p.m. tilt with Pfeiffer from North Myrtle Beach.
