FREDERICK, Md. – After almost a month without hosting a doubleheader and playing most of their ball in sunny Florida, the Blazers with some help from big swings and consistency on defense to take out Penn State Mont Alto 6-0 and 9-2 on Thursday afternoon.
In the Batter's Box
Lizzie McConnell (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) went 6-for-7 on the day scoring three times.
Sydney Weaver (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) went 3-for-4 in game two including a homer and three RBIs.
Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, Md./North County) had four hits on the day scoring twice and drawing three walks.
In the Circle
Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, Md./North County) had seven stellar innings of scoreless softball allowing only four hits and ringing up eight batters in the game one win.
Sydney Weaver (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) tossed eight innings only allowing two runs on the day as she earns the win in game two.
Hood 6, Penn State Mont Alto 0
Gottleib stroked a double to start the day for the Blazers and made her way to third via some wheels on a bouncing pitch to home plate. Pfleiger lifted a ball to the outfield to drive her to open up the game.
In the following inning, Heidlauf would drive a base hit up the middle followed by a well-executed bunt for a hit down the third base line by McConnell.
Hailey Shaffer (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) would be hit by a pitch and the Blazers would have the bases loaded with no outs. Hood would be retired twice before Pysher would land her swing into shallow left field to score two runners and prevent from squandering the big inning.
Later in fifth, McIntosh laid into a 3-1 pitch and it snuck over the yellow piping of the left-center field fence for a solo shot to start the inning. Later, Munson with two runners in scoring position served a ball and was misplayed by the opposing left fielder and scored two more.
Hood 9, Penn State Mont Alto 2
The Blazers score first again in another ball that traveled out of the reach of the left fielder, the single to left by Pfleiger moved Gottleib and then scored via the mishap.
Later, Weaver launched a soaring homer to left to clean the slate and drive in three runs to extend the Hood lead 4-0.
A couple of walks for the Nittany Lions in the top half of the second turned into a first and third situation with a base hit up the middle and Mont Alto's first run. Pysher snapped a throw down to second to catch the runner from first trying to get in scoring position to put two outs on the board.
With the final runner on third with two outs,
Hanna Janke (Calgary, Alberta, Can./Bishop Carroll) leaped for a line drive up the middle and snatched it out of the air to cut the inning short.
The Nittany Lions would earn their second run of the day on a hooking line drive down the left field line, rattling around the corner scoring a baserunner from first base in the fourth inning.
The sixth inning would feature
Jocelyn Pfleiger (Quakertown, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy) serving a ball to centerfield to get things going and
Karsyn Barrick (Frederick, Md./Walkersville) would make it around the bases in a pinch run appearance via a line drive off the fence by Weaver and a wild pitch. The Blazers would continue to traffic the bases until
Sara Munson (Inwood, W.Va./Musselman) ripped a ball to left to score a pair and extend 9-2.
For the Opponent
Abigail Cunningham had three hits on the day for the Nittany Lions.
Up Next
Hood opens up conference play with a trip to Alvernia on Saturday, March 22 with first pitch at 1 p.m..
