FREDERICK, Md. - Hood College's
Jocelyn Pfleiger (Quakertown, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy) hit walk-off home run in game one and both
Rachel Benden (Gaithersburg, Md./Damascus) and
Chloe Saunders (Middletown, Md./Middletown) had four-hit games during the softball team's sweep of a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth doubleheader against Albright 13-4 and a 9-5.
At the Plate
- Benden led the Blazers at the plate, going 6-for-7 with seven RBIs. She turned in her four-hit game in the opener, while Saunders matched her in game two.
- Pfleiger ended the day going 6-for-8 with five runs scored and seven RBIs from two doubles and a home run in the doubleheader.
- Saunders had five hits in the two games with a double and a stolen base.
- Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, Md./North County) went 5-for-6 with five runs scored, three RBIs, a double and triple.
Inside the Circle
- Gottleib got the ball in game one and pitched six innings only allowing four hits and two earned runs. The sophomore struck out 10 batters to match her season high and only walked one.
- Benden pitched a complete game in game two, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks.
Hood 13, Albright 4
- Three straight singles loaded the bases with no outs to start the bottom of the sixth inning with Hood leading 9-4. The Blazers had already scored once to stretch the lead to six before Pfleiger stepped to the plate. The sophomore worked a 14-pitch at-bat before slugging a walk-off, three-run homer to left to make it 13-4.
- Mya Mrakich was hit by a pitch to open the game and moved to third on an error. Albright grabbed the lead in the top when Jadelyn Van Winkle hit sacrifice fly to drive in Mrakich for the game's first run.
- After two walks in the bottom of the first, Benden hit an RBI single scoring Pfleiger. Sammy McIntosh (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) hit a sac fly to give Hood a 2-1 lead, driving in Gottleib.
- Albright reclaimed the lead when the Lions added three runs in the top of the second inning. With runners on the corners, Markich doubled to right but Hood made a pair of throwing errors to clear the bases for a 4-2 lead.
- Hood tied the game in the bottom of that inning with a two-out RBI double from Pfleiger down the left field line, scoring Saunders and Jordan Long (Middletown, Md./Middletown).
- The Blazers took the lead in the bottom of the third inning after Long brought home Benden on an RBI groundout. Lindsay Wilson (Pasadena, Md./Annapolis Area Christian School) scored McIntosh on a single to right field to give the Blazers a 6-4 lead.
- In the bottom of the fourth, after a single by Pfleiger and a double by Gottleib, Hood added two more runs on a single by Benden.
- Benden drove in another run in the fifth on a single through the left side that knocked in Saunders.
Hood 9, Albright 5
- Albright jumped out a 4-0 lead first in the bottom of the first inning. Kathryn Baptiste doubled to left field. After two walks, an error brought Baptiste home. Heather Pomante hit a two-RBI single to score Winkle and Lasko. Jordan Melson knocked in Kaitlyn Aasheim on a fielder's choice.
- The Blazers answered to tie the game in the bottom of that inning. Saunders hit a leadoff single to the left side. Gottleib singled to center field to advance Saunders to third. Benden followed with an RBI single to center field to bring Saunders home from third. Mallorie Hetzel (Pasadena, Md./Northeast) singled and Hood scored after a throwing error by Albright to cut the deficit to two. Benden scored on an RBI ground out by Blocher. Long tied the game with an RBI double to center field to make it 4-4.
- In the bottom of the second, Saunders hit a double to right field. Pfleiger ripped a single to left side and Saunders scored on a throwing error to give Hood the lead. Gottleib hit an RBI triple to drive in Pfleiger for a 6-4 advantage.
- After a scoreless third inning, Benden hit an RBI single in the fourth past the shortstop to score Colleen Blasko (Bowie, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) from third to make it a three-run game.
- In the top of the fifth, a VanWinkle solo home run cut the lead to 7-5.
- In the bottom of the sixth inning, Saunders bunted to get on first and advanced to third after two wild pitches. Pfleiger hit an RBI double down the left-field line to score Saunders. Hood extended its lead to 9-5 after Benden hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Pfleiger.
Up Next
The Blazers will conclude the regular season on May 1 with a non-conference doubleheader against Elizabethtown College at 3 and 5 p.m.
