ASHLAND, Ohio - An afternoon doubleheader turned into what appeared to be a never-ending affair for the Malone University softball team at Ashland University on Wednesday.
 
The Pioneers dropped the opening game of the day 3-2 in ten innings and then a lengthy lightning delay in game two meant the teams were battling both each other and impending darkness without lights at the ballpark. The Eagles were able to prevail 6-5 on a walk-off win by outscoring Malone 4-0 once play resumed.
 
The Pioneers have now lost six consecutive games and fall to 20-14 overall and 5-9 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. Ashland is on the opposite end of the spectrum with six consecutive victories, a 25-12 mark and 14-3 record in conference action.
 
GAME ONE RECAP:
Neither team had offensive success in the first three innings, but a leadoff triple off the bat of Jessie Crookston in the fourth led to the Pioneers taking a 1-0 lead. Masyn Baker drove her in with a sacrifice fly. In the bottom half of the inning, the Eagles plated one of their own with a two-out RBI single. Another two-out hit by Ashland put the home squad up 2-1 in the fifth.
 
A solo homerun from Mia Rose brought Malone back to even at 2-2 in the top of the sixth. Halyn Cawthorne recorded an extra-base hit in the seventh as well, but was left stranded as the potential go-ahead run. For the second consecutive series, game one went to extra innings after rose tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Both sides had a double in the eighth inning, but the pitching stayed consistent and kept the zero on the board. In the ninth, both teams went down without putting a runner in scoring position to force the extra inning runner rule in the tenth. Sidney Conti moved the runner over to third with a single, but once again the go-ahead run was left stranded. An RBI single by the Eagles to start the tenth gave the opposition the 3-2 win.
 
Rose (11-8) struck out seven in the circle in more than nine innings of work. Crookston had three of the team's seven hits and was a homerun away from hitting for the cycle in game one alone.
 
GAME TWO RECAP:
Malone claimed a 4-0 lead in the second inning with RBIs by Baker, Amber Miller, Madi Pukansky and Marlee Pireu. A solo homerun from Conti in the third extended the Pioneers' lead to 5-0. The Eagles cut into the lead and made it a 5-2 ballgame before a lightning delay that halted the contest for over two hours.
 
Coming out of the break, Ashland was able to plate three in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game. Pireu singled and advanced all the way to third with one out, but an outfield assist cut down the would-be go-ahead run at the plate. In the bottom half of the seventh, the Eagles used their speed for a bunt single, wild pitch, stolen base and scored on a ball hit on the infield to secure the 6-5 win.
 
Baker struck out three over 5.1 innings of work and Summer McCaw (3-3) took over on the bump late in the game. Morgan Cantrell was 2-for-3 at the dish and Conti reached base in all three plate appearances with a homerun and two walks.
 
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers will visit North Canton, Ohio and the Walsh University Cavaliers on Friday, April 17 beginning at 2:00 P.M. for their next games.