CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University softball team used excellent pitching and timely hitting to secure two home Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) wins against Ursuline College on Tuesday. The Pioneers (16-6, 4-4 G-MAC) was victorious over the Arrows (4-20, 1-7 G-MAC) 1-0 in game one and 3-2 in game two.
GAME ONE RECAP:
Each side got a runner into scoring position in the first inning, but could not bring her all the way around to score. Starting pitcher
Mia Rose (7-4) got out of the frame with a pair of strikeouts.
The next scoring opportunity for the teams came in the fifth inning. Ursuline had a walk and single with one out, but once again the pitching and defense came up big with a strikeout from Rose and a great stop at third base by
Marlee Pireu. In the bottom half, an error, walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Pioneers, but once again the zero remained.
The Arrows had a chance to take the lead in the seventh with the go-ahead run 60 feet from home, but Rose was able to slam the door shut once again with a strikeout. She totaled 10 in the circle in game one.
A 1-2-3 seventh for Malone set up extra innings. Ursuline led off the eighth with a single, but the catcher
Sydney Seaman turned a would-be base stealer away with a caught stealing at second base.
Amber Miller singled to lead off the eighth and a miscue in the outfield allowed her to advance an extra 60 feet.
Lacie Quarles sacrificed herself to move the runner over. That set the table for Pireu to lace a line drive single into left center field to plate the winning run.
GAME TWO RECAP:
After struggles on offense in game one, game two saw the Pioneers get on the board early. Miller roped a double off the outfield wall and Pireu delivered another RBI to go up 1-0.
A walk and three hits in the third for the Arrows evened the score at 1-1, but pitcher
Allie Weilnau got out of a bases loaded jam with a groundball out on the infield. Another three-hit inning in the fifth put the visitors in front 2-1.
Another error from the Arrows doomed them for two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. Pinch hitter
Halyn Cawthorne scored Miller on a groundout and Pireu smoked one down the left field line to give the Pioneers a 3-2 edge. That lead almost evaporated in the sixth, however a heads up defensive play by
Jessie Crookston in left field resulted in the inning-ending out before the tying run scored.
Weilnau (9-2) worked around a lead-off single in the seventh to complete the victory. Miller and Pireu tallied a pair of hits in the win and Crookston reached base twice with a hit and walk.
UP NEXT:
Malone hits the road on Friday, April 4 at Northwood University. The doubleheader begins at 3:00 P.M.
