FREDERICK, Md.--The Hood College softball team (15-15) dropped
both games of a nonleague doubleheader to the visiting Catholic
University Cardinals (22-8) by scores of 8-2 and 8-1 Sunday
afternoon.
After a scoreless first in the opener, Catholic sent seven
hitters to the plate but scored just one run thanks to some clutch
pitching by Jordan Wolford. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one
out and Samantha Daubman lined a single up the middle to plate
Taylor Stockinger for the first run of the ballgame. But Wolford
fanned Rachel Baker and Alyssa Corvino to escape further
damage.
Hood got even in its half of the second on an RBI groundout by
Jacquie LeMar. LeMar hustled down the line after a slap toward
second base and collided with Cardinal first baseman Lynn Brown,
who lost control of the ball. The play was not whistled dead and
Rachael Potts scampered around from second base to score the tying
run.
The Cardinals went on to score two more in the third on a Blazer
defensive miscue and an RBI double by Brown. Catholic broke the
game open with three runs on four base hits in the fifth and tacked
on another run in the sixth on a single down the leftfield line by
Kristen Trancynger.
Hood plated its second run of the ballgame in the bottom of the
sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, CUA catcher Trancynger
threw down to first base in an attempt to pick off Potts at first
base, and on the throw down, Casey Dunn alertly stole home. But
Taylor Grimmell lined into a double play to end the threat for the
Blazers.
Catholic's final run of the game came off the bat of Megan Rizzi
who doubled in Corvino in the top of the seventh.
Wolford (9-8) worked 4.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on
10 hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. Erin McNally came in
for the final 2.1 innings and surrendered two earned runs on four
hits. Potts and Bridgette Ringley collected a pair of hits in
defeat.
In the nightcap, CUA starter Stacie Goddard limited the Blazers
to just four hits en route to her 10th pitching victory of the
spring. Wolford notched two of those hits while Dunn and Potts both
singled as well.
The Blazers scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of
the fifth. Trailing 2-0, Brittni Jones led off the frame with a
walk. She stole second and advanced to third on a single by Dunn.
Then with Wolford at the plate and two out, Jones raced home
following a wild pitch by Stoddard.
The game got away from the Blazers in the late innings as the
Cardinals scored three times in both the sixth and seventh
innings.
Ringley (5-6) took the loss for Hood, allowing six earned runs
on 13 hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.
The Blazers will next host the University of Mary Washington
Tuesday in a Capital Athletic Conference playoff game at 4 p.m.
