LATROBE, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson softball team dropped both ends of a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader to host Saint Vincent on Friday afternoon. The Bearcats claimed game one by a 4-0 score before holding off W&J for a 3-2 win in game two.
The losses drop W&J to 6-10 in conference play and 10-14 overall. Saint Vincent clinches a spot in the upcoming PAC Tournament as they improve to 9-7 in the league and 20-8 overall. W&J must sweep Geneva (8-8 PAC) in Saturday's doubleheader at Brooks Park on Saturday to earn a spot in the PAC Tournament.
Game One - Saint Vincent 4, W&J 0
Saint Vincent hurler Olivia Bushore shut out the Presidents in game one. Bushore tossed a complete game shutout to improve her 2022 record to 8-3 in the circle.
Bushore was backed by her offense, which produced four runs on 10 hits. SVC's Jess Laporte recorded RBI singles in both the first and second innings to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. The Bearcats added two insurance runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead.
W&J managed just five hits in the opener. The Presidents were led by freshman outfielder
Aliya Schraeder (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette), who collected a pair of hits out of the leadoff spot.
Alisha Kulka (Hanover, Pa. / South Western) suffered the loss in the circle. The senior tossed four innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits.
Jordan Hinz (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) was strong in relief. The sophomore retired all six batters she faced in two scoreless innings.
Game Two - Saint Vincent 3, W&J 2
Despite outhitting Saint Vincent by a 13-7 margin in game two, W&J suffered a narrow 3-2 loss. The Presidents left 11 runners on base as a team during a frustrating game two loss.
W&J left two runners on base in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh innings. The Presidents left at least one runner on base in all seven innings.
Just as they did in game one, the Bearcats built an early lead in game two. Saint Vincent pushed across three runs on four hits during the bottom of the second inning.
Hinz tossed four scoreless innings and allowed just one hit as she came out of the bullpen again in game two. Hinz allowed just one hit in six innings of relief on the day. Hinz's work in the circle allowed W&J to hang around.
Kasey Scears (Washington, Pa./Chartiers Houston) singled home pinch runner
Alex Miller (King of Prussia, Pa. / Upper Merion Area) to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the third inning.
W&J appeared poised to tie the game in the top of the seventh when three of the first four hitters singled.
Sarah Labbe (Belgrade, Maine / Messalonksee) and Scears reached with back-to-back singles.
Mackenzie Boyd (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) followed with an RBI single to center field, which cut the W&J deficit to 3-2. However, Saint Vincent was able to get a ground out and fly out to end the threat and complete the sweep.
Scears, Boyd, Labbe, Hinz and
Peyton Eckenrode (York Haven, Pa. / Northeastern) each finished with multi-hit efforts for W&J.
W&J concludes the regular season Saturday against Geneva at Brooks Park. Game one between the Presidents and Golden Tornadoes will start at 1 p.m.
