Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
The Malone University softball team (8-6-1) dropped two tightly-contested ballgames at Point Park University (PA) (8-8) on Thursday by scores of 4-3 and 1-0.
 
Point Park used a late-inning flurry to steal game 1 from Malone's grasp. Malone struck first when sophomore Desi Hengoed belted her second home run of the year, a solo blast in the top of the second inning to stake Malone to a 1-0 lead. They tacked on another run in the top of the sixth inning when sophomore Katie Snoddy plated a run with an rbi double.
 
Malone starting pitcher Jillian Coyle breezed through the first five innings before Point Park touched her up with two in the sixth to knot the game at 2-2 behind a two-out, two-run home run off of the bat of Karen Mao. Malone responded with a huge run in the top of the seventh to regain a 3-2 lead. Freshman Erika Gerber was the hero, delivering a two-out, run-scoring single.
 
Malone stood one out away from victory in the bottom of the seventh, but with runners on the corners, Alyssa McMurtie came through with a two-run triple to give the home team a walk-off win.
 
Coyle dropped to 5-3 on the season despite holding Point Park to just seven hits, while fanning six hitters. Malone added six hits of their own but left nine runners on-base compared to just four for Point Park.
 
Game 2 featured a pitching duel between Malone's Stephanie Byrne and Point Park's Hannah Harley. Point Park manufactured the game's lone run in the bottom of the third inning when Mao doubled in a run.
 
Malone looked poised to tie the game in their last at-bat when Emily Kahoun, who recorded three of Malone's six hits, led off the frame with a double. She advanced to third on a groundout from sophomore Alexa Holztrager but with one-out, was cut down at the plate when freshman Mikayla Fowler's groundball to third was fielded cleanly, causing Kahoun to get caught in a rundown.
 
Byrne (3-3) went the distance for Malone in the circle giving up one run on just six hits. Malone stranded nine more runners on-base in game 2, while Point Park left eight ducks on the pond.
 
As of now it looks like Malone is scheduled to open up GLIAC play on Sunday, Mar. 30^th, against Lake Superior State (MI) at 12:00 p.m. followed by a doubleheader Monday, Mar. 31^st, against Northwood University (MI) with the start time at 1:00 pm. Any schedule changes will be posted on our website.