WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Hood College softball team stumbled in both ends of a non-conference doubleheader at McDaniel, 5-3 and 13-7.
At the Plate
- Alyssa Walters went a combined 4-for-7 in the doubleheader, including a three-hit effort in the nightcap.
- Rebecca Gottleib finished with three RBIs.
- Cailyn Barthlow went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in game two after walking in the opener.
Inside the Circle
- Gottleib tossed a complete game and struck out 11, the most for a Blazer since 2017 and one shy of the school record. The first-year student gave up four earned runs on seven hits and a walk and took the loss.
- Ang Casey started game two and allowed five earned runs in 1.1. innings. Rachel Benden took the loss in relief, allowing eight runs in 4.2 innings.
McDaniel 5, Hood 3
- Gottleib and the Green Terror's Krista Waller each pitched three perfect innings to start the game.
- Jocelyn Pfleiger was the first base runner for either side when she singled up the middle in the top of the fourth but was stranded at first.
- Mattie Whalen led off McDaniel's half of the inning with a solo home run to center. The Green Terror extended the lead on a two out double by Paytyn Hazelton that scored Hannah Raygor and Evie Craig to make it 3-0.
- Two more runs scored for McDaniel in the bottom of the fifth. Raygor had an RBI single and later scored on a base hit by Craig to make it 5-0.
- Hood cut into the lead in the top of the sixth. Brandi Davidson led off the inning with a single to center. Barthlow drew a one-out walk and the pair moved into scoring position on groundout by Pfleiger. Gottleib drove in both with a single and then scored on a double off the bat of Kiersten Tomshack to make it 5-3.
- After Gottleib struck out two hitters in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Blazers within striking distance, Hood went down in order in the seventh to end the game.
- In addition to Barthlow's walk, five different players had one hit for Hood.
McDaniel 13, Hood 7
- After Hood erased a five-run deficit in the top of the third, McDaniel scored seven times in the bottom of the inning to put the game out of reach.
- The Green Terror scored just once in the first before scoring four times in the second. In the second, Kylie Sears and Makayla Calamita led off with singles. Whalen walked with one out to load the bases before a two-run single by Isabella Sylvester made it 3-0. Hood went to the bullpen and brought in Benden to replace Casey, but Megan Hersey had an RBI single to make it 4-0 and back-to-back walks to Craig and Raygor brought in the fifth run.
- The Blazers responded with five runs on three hits in the top fo the third to tie the game. Walters and Mallorie Hetzel had back-to-back singles to start the frame. After a fielder's choice loaded the bases, Tomshack walked to drive in a run. Barthlow followed with a double down the left field line to score both Davidson and Hetzel to cut the deficit to 5-3. Pfleiger reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Lillian Larsen, who pinch ran for Tomshack, to make it 5-4. Gottleib tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left, driving in Barthlow.
- The momentum quickly swung back in McDaniel's favor in the bottom of the inning, when the Green Terror scored seven times with two outs. After Sears walked to lead things off, Benden retired the next two hitters. Back-to-back base hits by Whalen and Sylvester broke the tie and, after Horsey walked to load the bases, Craig hit a grand slam to push McDaniel's lead to 10-5. The Green Terror's next four hitters all reached successfully to score two more runs and extend the lead to seven.
- Hood loaded the bases in the top of the fourth with one out and cut the deficit to 12-6 on an RBI ground out from Barthlow that scored Walters.
- Davidson led off the sixth with a base hit and later scored on an RBI single by Pfleiger to pull the Blazers within five.
- Craig drove in Whalen with a single in the bottom of the inning to get the lead back to six, 13-7.
- Walters had three hits, while Barthlow and Hetzel added two apiece.
For the Opponent
- Raygor and Craig had two hits apiece for the Green Terror in the opener.
- Waller allowed three runs on five hits in a complete game victory in game one. She struck out five and walked one.
- Three players had three hits for McDaniel in the nightcap, including Craig who was 3-for-4 with a home run and six RBIs. Sylvester finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Sears was 3-for-3 with a walk.
- In game two, Mel Grant allowed one run in two innings of relief for the win. Kattie Hutchinson picked up the save with three innings to close out the game, allowing one run on five hits. Parker Murphy allowed five runs in two innings on three hits and a walk.
Notes
- Hood falls to 1-4 on the season.
- McDaniel improved to 2-3.
Up Next
The Blazers travel to Elizabethtown on Mar. 10 for a non-conference doubleheader.
