FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College softball team walked it off in the first game 4-3 but struggled with errors in the second game of the twin-bill against visiting Catholic University in a 16-0 loss.
Inside the Circle
- Jordan Long (Middletown, Md./Middletown) tossed a complete game for the win in game one. She used the defense behind her, as she recorded only one strikeout. The junior allowed three runs on eight hits, walking only one.
- Rachel Benden (Gaithersburg, Md./Damascus) started game two and struggled in the loss. She allowed 16 runs as nine were earned, on 14 hits in 2.2 innings. The senior had one strikeout and walked four.
- Lindsay Wilson (Pasadena, Md./Annapolis Area Christian School) allowed only one hit in 2.1 innings, walking three with one strikeout.
At the Plate
- Chloe Saunders (Middletown, Md./Middletown) went 2-for-5 on the day with a double and scored twice, adding a walk.
- Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, Md./North County) had a double and an RBI in game one. The sophomore also added a walk.
- Jocelyn Pfleiger (Quakertown, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy), Alyssa Walters (New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford) and Benden all recorded an RBI in game one.
Hood 4, Catholic 3
- The Blazers grabbed an early lead in the first inning as Benden singled through the left side of the infield, bringing home Saunders that reached on an error to start the game. Walters singled on a hard ground ball up the middle to bring home Gottleib that walked earlier in the inning to get Hood a 2-0 lead.
- Long retired eight out of the first ten batters that she faced, to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard through three innings.
- Hood added to its lead in the fifth inning, as Gabby Carton (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) led off the inning with a walk. Colleen Blasko (Bowie, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) moved her over to second on a sacrifice bunt, Saunders in the next at-bat singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Pfleiger singled through the left side to bring home Carton and gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead.
- The Cardinals did not go away quietly in the seventh inning, with two outs Alex Garza and Sarah Spaeth had back-to-back singles to keep Catholic alive. Amy Gastright pinched hit and knocked in Garza with the third consecutive single to keep the Cardinals alive down 3-1. Sophia Fike cleared the bases with a double down the left field line to tie the score at 3-3.
- Saunders walked with one out in the seventh inning as the winning run for the Blazers. Two batters later Gottleib hit a double down the left field line to score Saunders to win the game for Hood 4-3.
Catholic 16, Hood 0 (5 innings)
- Catholic loaded the bases with one out in the first inning. Amanda Gomez started with a single up the middle, Katie Scolese doubled into the left-field gap and Aubrynn Arcement walked. Spaeth brought home Garza on a sacrifice fly to right field and Toni Ruley singled through the right side to bring home Scolese to put the Cardinals on top 2-0 early.
- The Cardinals put together four straight hits in the second inning that opened the door for six runs to cross home. Fike singled that followed a Caroline Adams walk that started the inning. Gomez doubled to bring home Fike and Adams and Scolese doubled right after to bring home Gomez for a 5-0 lead. Catholic added three more runs later in the inning on three singles by Arcement, Bella Ronca and Kaitlyn Murphy to push the lead to 8-0.
- The Blazers received back-to-back singles by Walters and Long in the second inning, but could not cash in to cut into the lead.
- Catholic added eight more runs during a three-error third for Hood. Fike had the big hit of the inning with a two RBI double.
- Wilson held the Cardinals in check for the final 2.1 innings, retiring six of the final nine batters she faced.
For the Cardinals
- Fike led Catholic going 5-for-8 in two games. She tallied four doubles, four RBIs and scored three times.
- Gomez also went 5-for-8 on the day with a double, three RBIs and scored three times.
- Scolese had three hits in the doubleheader with two doubles and two RBIs in game two. She also scored three times in the second game.
- Katie Hurd started game one for Catholic, allowing two runs on two hits with six strikeouts in four innings of work.
- Olivia Stinchcomb took the loss in game one in relief, giving up two runs on three hits.
- Justina Benvenuto started in the circle for game two and got the win, throwing a shut-out in four innings with five strikeouts on three hits. Arcement finished the final inning striking out two of the final three batters.
Notes
- Hood starts the season 1-1.
- Catholic ended the day 1-1.
Up Next
The Blazers play host to Dickinson College for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, March 4 at 1 p.m.
