The Malone University softball team won both ends of a double-header against Walsh University on Friday evening. The Pioneers won game won by a score of 4-1 and won game two 4-2. The Pioneer victories were the first against Walsh since 2010. Malone moves to 12-8 overall and 5-5 in the conference.

Game One Recap

A couple of fielding mistakes by the Pioneers in the top of the second inning looked to shake up the Pioneers early on in game one. However, with a Walsh runner on third base and nobody out Bailey Byers fired the ball down to third to pick off the runner, creating a momentum shift that the Pioneers would hang onto for the remainder of the evening.

In the bottom half of the inning Ashley Beck smashed a homer to left center, giving Malone the early 1-0 lead.

Madison Corrick would give Malone a little cushion in the third, knocking in Bailey Byers for a 2-0 lead.

Walsh was able to make it a one-run game again in the top of the fourth, but Corrick would break it open for good in the fifth. Bailey Byers smacked a double to center field, and Corrick answered with a homerun to deep right field.

Corrick, Byers, and Ashley Beck each had two hits in the contest. All three players had an extra-base hit, along with Emily Beck who doubled in the fourth.

Isabella Roberts struck out six batters and gave up no earned runs in a complete game victory. Roberts boasts a 6-2 record.

Game Two Recap

Again Walsh threated early in the second contest, as they were able to load the bases in the top of the first. Once again, Malone's defense shifted the momentum as they were able to get out of the inning without surrendering a run.

The Pioneer offense ran with that momentum in the bottom of the inning, taking a 2-0 advantage. Byers and Corrick led off with a walk a double, putting two runners in scoring position. The next two batters were unable to reach base or bring a run home, but with two outs Ashley Beck hit a two-run single to right.

Walsh homered in the third, cutting Malone's lead to 2-1, but Anna Myers hit an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to give the Pioneers a 3-1 advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth inning Morgan Sampsel picked up her first collegiate hit, an RBI single up the middle to give Malone a 4-1 lead.

Walsh mustered up one more run in the seventh, but could not catch Malone as the Pioneers celebrated a 4-2 victory.

Madison Corrick and Emily Beck each had two hits in the contest, while Ashley Beck had two RBI.

Allyson Gruen and Samantha Fruchey each pitched a little over three innings in the contest, with Fruchey picking up the victory in relief duties.
 
Up Next

Malone will take on Alderson Broaddus at home on April 17^th.