The Malone University softball team closed out their Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with two wins on Wednesday night. They beat Wilkes University (PA) and Clarion University (PA) by the final scores of 7-1 and 3-1, respectively.
The Pioneers will head to Salem, Virginia to participate in the West Virginia Wesleyan Invite from March 11-12
th. They will play Shepherd University (WV) at 3:00 p.m. and Mercyhurst University (PA) at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11
th, while they will play Bowie State University (MD) at 12:00 p.m. and Winston-Salem State University (NC) at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 12
th.
Game One:Malone collected their first run of the game from
Alexa Holztrager who grounded out to the pitcher, allowing
Mikayla Fowler to score, making it 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
The momentum would be in Malone's favor as they went on to score one run in the fourth inning and then three more runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 5-0.
Wilkes would score their first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning off a single from Sarah Birchmeier.
The Pioneers closed the seventh inning with two more runs scored by
Caley Ritts and
Taylor Lauer to seal the 7-1 victory.
Game One Highlights:-
Allison Mercado went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, collected her second career triple and one run scored.
-Fowler went 2-for-4 at the plate, recorded one run scored, and went 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts.
-Ritts went 2-for-4 at the plate and tallied two runs scored.
-
Kerri Manley finished with a team high three RBI's.
-The Pioneers finished the game with 12 hits.
-Pitcher
Kari Hall notched another complete game, finishing with six strikeouts.
Game Two:The Pioneers started the first inning with a Mercado single to right field, driving
Mikayla Fowler across the plate. Malone took an early 2-0 advantage off an
Ashley Beck single to right field, allowing Ritts to score.
The next three innings were hard fought battles on both sides of the field as neither team registered a run scored.
The Pioneers picked up another run in the fifth off a Mercado single to right field, allowing Holztrager to score, increasing Malone's lead to 3-0.
But the Golden Eagles didn't back down as they posted a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it a 3-1 game.
Clarion had one more chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Malone's strong defensive efforts kept the Golden Eagles from scoring, giving Malone their sixth victory of the season.
Game Two Highlights:-Hall's seven strikeouts on the game brought her season total to 49.
-Mercado went 2-for-4 at the plate, while adding two RBI's.
-Holztrager went 2-for-4 at the plate and collected one run scored.