The Malone University softball team defeated Cedarville University in both games of a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon. The Pioneers took game one by a score of 2-0 and secured a 6-1 win in the second game of the day.
 
Cedarville had previously won the last seven games against the Pioneers dating back to 2012, and this is the first season sweep of the Yellow Jackets since 2002. Malone has now won four games in a row heading into a critical weekend series against Great Midwest Athletic Conference opponents Hillsdale and Tiffin.
 
Malone has an overall record of 14-8, 6-4 in the G-MAC, and Cedarville falls to 19-11, 5-5 in conference play.
 
Game One Recap:
Malone scored their two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Madison Corrick led off the game hitting a double to right center field and April Howser picked up right where she left off in yesterday's games by hitting a two-run homerun, her second career four-bagger.
 
From there, it was a pitcher's duel, with neither team able to get a run across the remainder of the game. Pitcher Kelsey Byers was phenomenal in the circle, throwing a complete game shutout, scattering four hits and one walk, and striking out eight Cedarville batters.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, April Howser doubled to start the inning, her second hit of three on the day. Howser would end up a triple away from hitting for the cycle in this game after singling in the sixth. Serena Tucciarelli reached base in the sixth as well, following Howser's single up with a poke into left field for a hit.
 
The 2-0 shutout for Malone was the third time Pioneer pitchers put a zero up on the board this season and the second by Kelsey Byers. Byers improved to 11-3 in this game.
 
Game Two Recap:
Again, the Pioneers took an early lead in game two after Madison Corrick reached base via a single and Bailey Byers drove her in with a double to the right field fence.
 
Two out hitting brought in another Malone run in the second. Anissa Seese led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emily Betts. After a strikeout, Erika Johnson and Madison Corrick hit back-to-back singles, with Seese scoring on the second base knock.
 
Just as in game one, pitcher Kelsey Byers was dealing, throwing five and one-third innings of no-hit softball. Cedarville hitters reached on a strikeout passed ball and a pair of walks scattered in the first five.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Malone would give its pitcher some security runs. Three straight hits to lead off the inning included a double by Bailey Byers, a single by April Howser and an RBI base hit by Serena Tucciarelli. That made the score 3-0 in favor of the Pioneers. Later in the inning, Emily Betts would drive in two on a base hit and make it 5-0 after five.
 
In the sixth, Cedarville would have their first and only real taste of success at the plate. The Yellow Jackets drew a lead-off walk, reached on an error, and an RBI double would take the zero out of the hit and run columns. Kelsey Byers would recover, striking out the next hitter and forcing a ground ball out to end the inning and limit the damage to just one run.
 
Malone tacked on one more in the sixth after a pair of Cedarville errors allowed Bailey Byers to score and make the score 6-1.
 
Cedarville threatened to bring across a run in the seventh, but Kelsey Byers finished the game off and completed her second game of the day to secure the victory. Byers finished with seven innings pitched, surrendering one unearned run on two hits and three walks. Her record of 12-3 in the circle is approaching the team record for most wins in a season (16).
 
Totals:
- Kelsey Byers threw all 14 innings, giving up a combined six hits, four walks, and one unearned run. Byers struck out 15 Cedarville hitters in total.
- April Howser continued her hot streak at the plate, going 5-for-6 with a walk. She had two RBIs and two runs on the day as well.
- Madison Corrick went 3-for-7, scored two runs and drove in a run in game two.
- Serena Tucciarelli batted 4-for-7 with an RBI and a run.
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the road to play Hillsdale College on Friday, April 5 in a G-MAC doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3 pm. The following day, they travel to Tiffin University to face the Dragons starting at 1 pm.