Malone vs. Findlay Box Score |
Malone vs. Milligan Box Score
The Malone University softball team concluded its spring-break trip to the Smash Hit Tournament in Hardeeville, South Carolina on Wednesday by enduring a 5-4 loss to the University of Findlay and a 6-3 defeat to Milligan (TN) College.
The Pioneers' record fell to 1-6 following Wednesday's contests. Findlay improved to 3-3 while Milligan pushed its overall mark back to .500 at 10-10.
In the first game of the day, Malone entered the top of the seventh inning trailing the Oilers by a 5-1 margin. Following a lead-off single by third baseman
Kelsee Locker, pitcher
Stephanie Byrne cut the deficit to 5-3 with a two-run homer. Findlay retired the next two batters of the inning before the Pioneers managed to tack on another score with back-to-back doubles by centerfielder
Megan Lane and leftfielder
Sarah Samblanet. However, with the tying run on second base, Oiler pitcher Grace Ammons managed to induce a groundout to escape the jam and preserve the narrow victory.
Findlay had built its lead by plating four runs in the bottom of the second inning and, what would turn out to be, the winning run in the bottom of the fifth. Pioneer second baseman
Desi Givens got Malone on the scoreboard after blasting an RBI double to left-center in the top of the fourth. Givens finished the game with two hits in four at-bats, having led off the second inning with a single to leftfield. Shortstop
Kristen Atzenhoefer also tallied two hits in the contest, doubling and scoring in the fourth and ripping a single to center in the sixth.
Ammons tossed a complete game for Findlay, surrendering the four runs on eight hits. Starting pitcher
Shelby Snyder took the loss (0-3) for Malone after allowing four runs through 1.1 innings of work.
Milligan broke an early 2-2 tie in the second game of the day after pushing three runs across the plate in the top of the fourth inning. The Buffaloes then made the score 6-2 after clubbing a solo homer in the top of the fifth. The Pioneers brought home one run on Lane's RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, but Malone was unable to get any closer.
Samblanet posted two of the Pioneers' seven hits in the contest as she cranked a solo homer in the first to go with a two-out single in the fifth. Starter
Nicol Chesley was saddled with the loss (1-3) after allowing five runs (only two of which were earned) through 3.2 innings pitched.
Malone is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, March 13th when the squad hosts its home opener against NCAA Division II University of Charleston (WV). First pitch of the doubleheader at Pioneer Field is slated for 3:00 p.m.
