CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University softball team battled Tiffin University and the bitter cold on Friday afternoon. The Pioneers split the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) doubleheader with the Dragons, with a 9-2 win in game one, but a 3-0 loss in the second game of the day.
 
Malone holds a record of 8-5-1 in the 2021 season, 2-4 in G-MAC play. The Tiffin Dragons are an even 9-9 overall and 4-2 in conference.
 
GAME ONE RECAP:
Neither team allowed a baserunner through the first two innings of play in the first of two seven inning contests. Two Dragons reached in the top of the third, but the scoring threat was thwarted with a Kelsey Byers strikeout and groundout to the shortstop, Lexi Betz.
 
Malone put up a crooked number in the bottom of the third with timely two out hitting. A simple two-out walk from Megan Labut opened the floodgates for the top of the order. Three consecutive hits for the Pioneers included a double from Bailey Byers, RBI single by Erika Johnson, and capped off by a three-run blast down the right field line from the cleanup hitter, Lexi Betz. Altogether, Malone plated four in the inning to take a commanding advantage.
 
The Pioneers tacked on one more in the fourth after Lauren Bennett drove in Mikayla Kesel with a single up the middle to make it 5-0.
 
The first Tiffin baserunner did not reach until the top of the fifth, but two hits was enough to scratch one across in the frame. A two-out base knock for the Dragons in the sixth cut the gap to 5-2.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Malone batted around and threatened to end the game early via the mercy rule. Mackenzie Frantz, Lauren Bennett and Morgan Wilhelm all reached to load the bases and Bailey Byers knocked a double into the right center field gap to bring in two. Lexi Betz made it 9-2 two batters later with a two RBI single to center field, giving her five in the game.
 
Kelsey Byers finished off the complete game in the circle by slamming the door shut with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh. All told, Byers fanned six in the opening game of the weekend.
 
GAME TWO RECAP:
After a scoreless first for both clubs, Tiffin etched a run with a pair of hits in the top of the second. A two-out double to left allowed a run to come across for the Dragons. In the top of the third, Tiffin manufactured another run with a two-out triple and single.
 
The Pioneers drew a walk in each of the first two innings, but recorded their first hits of the game off the bats of Bailey Byers and a bunt single from Erika Johnson. Byers advanced to third on a throwing error, but the Pioneers' scoring opportunity was taken away with a couple of strikeouts. Malone put another runner in scoring position in the fourth, but again failed to achieve a timely base hit.
 
An unlucky double dropped just inside the left field line for the Dragons in the fifth that eventually came around to make it 3-0 Tiffin.
 
April Howser was the only other Pioneer to reach base with a single in the sixth as Malone fell in game two of the set.
 
PIONEER POINTS:

• Lexi Betz was 3-for-4 in game one with a career-high five RBIs. Betz hit her team-leading third homerun of the season for her only run of the afternoon.
• Kelsey Byers pitched all 14 innings and accumulated 13 strikeouts and picked up the win in the 9-2 victory.
• Bailey Byers was 3-for-6 at the dish with two RBIs and two runs scored. Byers pulled away as the team run leader with 15 on the season and took the lead in batting with a .429 average.
• Lauren Bennett picked up a hit and walked twice on the afternoon.
• In the field, the "similar but not same last name" combo of Lexi Betz and Emily Betts made some fantastic plays in clutch moments of each game.

 
UP NEXT:
It's a traditional back-to-back for the Pioneers, as they play host to the University of Findlay tomorrow at home. First pitch of the doubleheader will take place at noon.