The Malone University softball team split a doubleheader Saturday afternoon with Davis & Elkins College. Malone won the first game 8-0 in five innings and Davis & Elkins took game two by a score of 4-2 in eight innings.
 
In the first game, sophomore catcher Bailey Byers tied and broke the school's single season homerun record and the career homerun record with a pair of blasts over the outfield fence. The homeruns would be her tenth and eleventh of the 2019 season, and her eighteenth and nineteenth of her career.
 
Prior to the start of Saturday's games, junior centerfielder Madison Corrick was named the recipient of the Bob Starcher Scholarship.
 

 
Malone holds a record of 17-13 overall, 9-9 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference following the win and loss. Davis & Elkins moves to 12-26 on the season, 6-12 in the conference.
 
Game One Recap:
In the top of the first, a Senator hitter would reach base via a single, and would be the only baserunner of the game.
 
Bailey Byers hit a solo homerun to right center field to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Following a 1-2-3 second inning for pitcher Kelsey Byers, Malone extended their lead in the bottom of the frame.
 
Kelsey Byers was hit by a pitch, Nicole Ferrara singled and Erika Johnson beat out a throw on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases for the Pioneers, and Madison Corrick brought in two runs with a drive to left field for a double. Bailey Byers struck again for her second homerun of the day, this time a 3-run homerun, to give Malone a 6-0 lead.
 
Pioneer hitters Kelsey Byers, Nicole Ferrara and Erika Johnson loaded the bases for Madison Corrick again in the bottom of the third, and she singled through the left side of the infield to bring in another Pioneer run.
 
In the bottom of the fifth with a chance to win it, Erika Johnson and Madison Corrick both reached on infield errors. Bailey Byers stepped to the plate and drove in her fifth run of the game to seal the victory on a single to right.
 
Game Two Recap:
In the top of the second, Davis & Elkins scored off of a triple to the right center field fence. The runner would be stranded at third, but the Senators took a 1-0 lead.
 
Davis & Elkins scored again in the top of the third, this time off consecutive doubles.
 
The Pioneers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning with a clutch two-out rally. After a pair of strikeouts, Emily Betts smacked a double to left center. Nicole Ferrara sliced a line drive that got down just in front of the fielder's glove and she made it all the way to third for an RBI triple. Erika Johnson tied the game at two with a shot down the left field line for a single.
 
Malone got baserunners on in the fifth and sixth innings, but both times left two runners on base and the game remained tied.
 
While the Pioneers were close to breaking the tie, pitcher Kelsey Byers was mowing down hitters. She retired 14 in a row from one out in the third inning through the seventh.
 
Trying to avoid extra innings, in the bottom of the seventh, Malone tried to make their 2-out magic work again. Anissa Seese singled and Caley Ritts reached via an error, but the Pioneers could not stretch a run across.
 
In the top of the eighth, the Senators plated two. One run came off a line drive down the left field line that barely stayed fair. The other a single that drove in a runner from second base.
 
With their backs against the wall, Nicole Ferrara led off the eighth with a single, but a line out right to the first baseman led to a double play and a flyout to center field ended the game.
 
Totals:
- Bailey Byers hit two homeruns, drove in five, scored two runs and batted 4-for-8 on the day.
- Kelsey Byers pitched 13 innings, allowing only a single hit in game one and eight hits overall, gave up four runs (one earned), and struck out 13. She also batted 2-for-2 and reached on a hit by pitch.
- Nicole Ferrara batted 5-for-6 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.
- Madison Corrick drove in three runs.
- Erika Johnson hit 3-for-7 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers are at home for a non-conference doubleheader against Gannon University on Tuesday, April 16. First pitch is scheduled for 3 pm.