The Malone University softball team split a pair of games on Thursday in Myrtle Beach. The Pioneers defeated Ohio Valley University 9-4 before falling to Waldorf University 10-6. Malone moves to 5-3 on the season following Thursday's games.

*Weeks after the game was played, Malone was awarded a forfeit victory over Waldorf due to an eligibility violation*

Game One Recap

The Pioneers got going early in game one on Thursday, taking a 4-0 lead in the second. Serena Tucciarelli led the inning off with a single and would score from second on a single by Madison Corrick. Kendall Reidenbach followed Corrick with an RBI triple. Nicole Ferrara and Bailey Byers would each tack on RBI singles in the inning to give Malone the early advantage.

The Pioneers added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Corrick got her second single and steal combo of the day and scored on a single by Caley Ritts. Ritts would go on to score on a double by Bailey Byers, extending the Pioneer lead to 6-0.

A pair of Pioneer errors in the bottom half of the fourth would allow Ohio Valley to score their first run of the game.

Malone answered back with two more runs on two hits and three Ohio Valley errors in the top of the fifth inning.

Ohio Valley added two more in the bottom half of the inning, bringing the score to 8-3 through five innings. Madison Gallagher homered in the sixth for Ohio Valley to inch a little closer to Malone, but the Fighting Scots' offense would stop there.

Malone would add one more run in the seventh to earn the 9-4 victory.

Morgan Sampsel gave up just one hit and one unearned run in four innings of work, improving her record to 2-1.  Alexis Burke tossed three innings of relief to earn her first collegiate save.

Six different players had an RBI for Malone in the game. Bailey Byers had two.

Byers, Madison Corrick, Serena Tucciarelli and Kendall Reidenbach each had a multi-hit game for Malone. Reidenbach hit her first career triple.

Game Two Recap

Waldorf got an early jump on Malone in game two, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Malone would outscore Waldorf 4-2 between the second and third innings, giving Waldorf a slight 5-4 lead.

Waldorf broke the game open for good in the fourth inning, adding three more runs for a 8-4 edge.

Shelby Hulin went 2 for 3 with three RBIs in the game. Two of those RBIs came in the second inning to spark an offensive battle between the two squads.

After Waldorf scored in the top of the sixth, Hulin answered back with another RBI single to keep Malone within striking distance.

Waldorf added one more run in the top of the seventh, extending their lead to 10-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Nicole Ferrara led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, and scored on a single by Bailey Byers. Ashley Beck and Madison Corrick hit back to back singles to load the bases, bringing the tying run to the plate with just one out. However, Malone was unable to capitalize and fell 10-6.

Madison Corrick went 4 for 4 with a triple and an RBI in the game.

In addition to Hulin and Corrick, Bailey Byers and Ashley Beck each had a multi-hit game.

Up Next

Malone will play their final two contests in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Friday. The team will face Ohio Christian at 11:30am and Cardinal Stritch at 3:30pm.