FREDERICK, Md. - A walk-off single by
Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, MD/North County) with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Hood College softball team a 4-3 win over visiting Stevenson after the Mustangs won the opener in 10 innings 3-0.
At the Plate
- Cailyn Barthlow (Libertytown, MD/Linganore) provided much of Hood's offense on the day, going 5-for-7 over the two games with a walk, a double and three runs scored.
Inside the Circle
- Gottleib, who had two RBIs as a hitter, pitched a 10-inning complete game in the opener. The first-year student struck out 10 batters for her fourth double-digit strikeout game of the year. She pitched around 14 hits and a pair of walks to hold the Mustangs off the scoreboard until the 10th inning.
- Jordan Long (Middletown, MD/Middletown) made her first start of the season in game two and pitched a complete game for the win. She allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks.
Stevenson 3, Hood 0 (10 innings)
- Gottleib pitched around base runners in each of the first nine innings. The Blazers' defense backed up its pitcher for much of the afternoon, turning two double plays and throwing out two runners at home to keep Hood in the game.
- Her counterpart, Marisa Heuer kept the Blazers' offense off-balance for much for most of the game. After Hood loaded the bases in the third inning, Heuer retired 17 straight hitters until the ninth inning.
- In the top of the 10th, Jordan Fangman was placed on second as the international tiebreaker runner. Megan Hamp laid down a bunt to third and the Blazers attempted to retire Fangman at third. She turned around and headed back to second and both runners were safe on the play. Sierra Stark attempted to sacrifice the runners and Gottleib's throw got away, allowing Fangman to score the game's first run and put runners on second and third. Heuer followed and helped her own cause with an RBI single through the left side, driving in Hamp for a 2-0 lead. With two outs, Kat Perea made it a three-run game with a base hit through the right side that brought home pinch runner Jessica Alicea.
- Heuer then retired the Blazers in order in the bottom of the inning.
- Hood's defense had been solid most of the game. In the fifth, Stevenson had runners on first and third when Fangman hit a ground ball to Mallorie Hetzel (Pasadena, MD/Northeast) at third. Mckenzie Tobler broke for home on the throw to first and Pfleiger's relay home was in time to turn the 532 double play.
- In the sixth, the Mustangs again had runners on the corners, this time with no outs. Heuer hit a comebacker to Gottleib, who started a 163 double play. Gottleib struck out Rivers Edwards to strand Hamp on third.
- Fangman singled through the left side in the ninth with two outs and runners on first and second. Perea tried to score on the play but a perfect throw by Alyssa Walters (New Oxford, PA/New Oxford) ended the inning.
- Hood had its best opportunity to score in the third. Colleen Blasko (Bowie, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) was hit by a pitch and back-to-back, two-out singles by Walters and Barthlow loaded the bases. Heuer escaped the bases-loaded jam by getting Pfleiger to fly out to right field to end the inning.
Hood 4, Stevenson 3
- Game two appeared to be headed to extra innings, as well, before Gottleib's clutch single for the win. Barthlow started the rally with a one-out double to right center. A Pfleiger single put runners on the corners and forced Stevenson to go to the bullpen, replacing Jenny Sadowski with Heuer. Heuer induced a ground ball to second by Benden for the second out. Gottleib stepped in and sent a fly ball over the head of the left fielder, easily scoring Barthlow from third for the winning run.
- Hood's winning run was the first for either team since the third inning.
- Two errors in the bottom of the first allowed Barthlow to score for Hood for a 1-0 lead.
- A Jill Haines home run to straightaway center in the top of the second to tie the game before the Mustangs took a 3-1 lead in the third on a two-run single by Hamp.
- The Blazers tied the game in the bottom of the third thanks to two more errors by the Mustangs. Barthlow singled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a fielding error. She tried to score on a groundout by Gottleib and Stevenson threw the ball away, allowing Benden, who reached on the first error, to score as well.
- Long managed to work around base runners in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before retiring the side in order in the seventh.
For the Opponent
- Heuer picked up her eighth win of the year in game one. She pitched a 10-inning shutout, striking out six and allowing only three hits and a walk. She pitched a third of an inning in the nightcap, allowing Gottleib's game-winning hit. All four runs in game two were charged to Sadowski, who pitched the first 6.1 innings, allowing one earned on five hits and two walks.
- At the plate, Heuer had four hits in game one.
- Perea had three hits in the opener and ended the day 4-for-7 with a walk.
Notes
- The win in game two kept the Blazers within a game of Stevenson in the conference standings. The Mustangs are 5-5 in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth, while Hood sits at 4-6.
- Hood is 14-15-1 overall and Stevenson ended the day 14-9.
Up Next
The Blazers host York (Pa.) on Wednesday, Apr. 20 at 3 p.m. for a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader.
