KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Washington & Jefferson College softball team downed both Carlow University and Hiram College in day two of The Spring Games. The Presidents advance to a 3-2 overall record on the season.
W&J 4, Carlow 0
W&J collected eight hits in the contest as Maddie Luxenberger (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock) and Anna Luxenberger (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock) both paced the Presidents in game one with two hits each. Hannah Allen (Harrison City, Pa./Penn Trafford), Kyra Blauth (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), Julia DiPietro-Harvey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) and Deanna Gratton (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) all tallied one hit.
M. Luxenberger landed a hit in the first but was left stranded as the Celtics caught two foul balls over the next two batters to escape the inning unscathed.
Starting pitcher Taylor Dunn (Washington, Pa./Trinity) recorded four three up, three down innings with three straight in the first, second and third, followed by another in the fifth.
W&J's breakout inning occurred in the top of the second. Blauth started with a single up the middle to lead off. DiPietro-Harvey moved Blauth on a bunt that she beat out to put two runners on. Gratton was the next to join the rally with a pop to centerfield that loaded the bases. A. Luxenberger scored the first runner, driving home Blauth on a single to rightfield. DiPietro-Harvey took advantage of some aggressive baserunning and beat the throw from rightfield to put the Presidents up 2-0. A single up the middle from Allen drove in the final two runs for the Presidents on the next at-bat extending the lead to 4-0 before the half inning ended.
The second inning surge was the only scoring in the game. Defensively the Presidents turned three double plays.
Dunn received the win and her first collegiate shutout in the circle for her full-game effort. Dunn struck out four batters and allowed just four hits from the Celtics.
W&J 6, Hiram 4
The Presidents racked up 14 hits in game two. Mirranda Rinehart (Washington, Pa./Trinity) led the offensive going 4-for-4 at the plate with a game-high two RBI's. Schraeder (3), M. Luxenberger (2), Blauth (2) and DiPietro-Harvey (2) each had multi-hit efforts in the bout as well.
Hiram scored first, knocking in a run in the top of the first inning. Schraeder hit a single through the left side and Blauth reached on a drawn walk to give the Presidents two baserunners, but
the Red & Black were unable to bring them around as Hiram got out of the first inning with their 1-0 lead intact.
After a line out to leftfield for their first out, Hiram put a baserunner on that was quickly picked off two pitches later by catcher M. Luxenberger before another lineout for a quick top of the second.
W&J tied the game in the bottom of the frame. DiPietro-Harvey drove in Rinehart who had reached on a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gratton.
After a brief top of the third, W&J took their first lead of the contest. Blauth launched a single up the middle followed by a single by M. Luxenberger and a single by Rinehart to load the bases for the Presidents. A seven-pitch drawn walk from Gratton scored Blauth and put the Red & Black ahead 2-1.
Hiram responded quickly with two runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead, 3-2.
The Terriers kept the lead until the bottom of the fifth where the Presidents tied things up 3-3 when freshman Ally Jones (Donegal, Pa./Mount Pleasant) drove home M. Luxenberger.
W&J held Hiram scoreless in the top of the next frame before knocking in three runs to take a 6-3 lead.
DiPietro-Harvey and Schrader reached on singles before both advancing a base on a wild pitch to both runners in scoring position for the Presidents. Allen then reached on a fielder's choice that removed DiPietro-Harvey from the basepaths and left runners on first and second. A double to left center from Blauth scored Schraeder and advanced Allen to third. The Terriers changed pitchers hoping the halt the Presidents positive momentum but a single to centerfield by Rinehart scored one more run before Hiram could escape the inning, now down by three, 6-3.
Hiram put up a single run in the top of the seventh but was unable to muster up the hits to overcome W&Js advantage as the Presidents claimed a 6-4victory.
Macayle Thornhill (Warren, Ohio / Jackson-Milton) started on the mound for the Red & Black and pitched the game in its entirety. Thornhill struck out five batters and only allowed four runs on eight hits.
Up Next: The Presidents return to action Tuesday (March 11), in day three of The Spring Games. W&J will take on St. Catherine in game one (11:30 a.m.) and Wheaton (Mass.) in game two (1:45 p.m.).
