FREDERICK, Md. – The Hood College softball team managed to get just one bird with its stone throw, defeating non-conference opponent Elizabethtown College 5-4 in a nine-inning thriller in game one, but falling 12-3 in the second game.
At the Plate
Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, Md./North County) went 2-4 in the first game, stealing a base and scoring twice.
Kara Heidlauf (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal High School) batted 2-4 with a double and an RBI in game one.
Bailey Pysher (Pottstown, Pa/Pottsgrove) hit an RBI double to force extras in the first game before hitting a sacrifice fly to walk it off in the ninth.
In the Circle
Sara Munson (Inwood, W.Va./Musselman) went the distance to pick up her second win of the season in game one, allowing just two earned runs.
Hood 5, Elizabethtown 4
The Blazers took advantage of Blue Jays' fielding errors in the first inning to open the scoring when a double from Heidlauf scored Gottleib. Although there were two runners still in scoring position, that would be all they would get as the Elizabethtown pitcher recovered to strike out the next batter.
Despite the Blue Jays tying the game in the fourth after Brooke Huzcko just beat the throw from center field, offense was difficult to come by for a majority of the game.
Unfortunately, it would not be Hood that broke the tie once more, as Elizabethtown managed to hang two runs on the board in the top of the sixth to take the lead.
Down to their last three outs, the Blazers put together the rally they needed, as Lizzie McConnell (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) came in to pinch hit and immediately singled to left field to get things going. Despite the next two batters popping out to put Hood's back firmly against the wall, Gottleib kept the game alive with a single that got past the left fielder and allowed McConnell to bring the Blazers within one.
After making solid contact all game but just barely unable to get on base, Pysher smoked the second pitch she saw down the third base line for a stand-up double that scored Gottleib and sent the game to extras tied 3-3.
Both squads just managed to score their ghost runner placed on second in the eighth inning, but Hood kept the Blue Jays off the board in the top of the ninth to give itself a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the inning.
Munson started the inning off with a perfect bunt that moved the lead runner to third, and after Gottleib drew a walk to get on base as well, Pysher came up to the plate and sent a long fly ball to right field that allowed Kaelyn Blocher (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) to tag up and make it home to give the Blazers a 5-4 win.
Elizabethtown 12, Hood 3
Game two did not start off as well for Hood, as Elizabethtown put up six runs in the first two innings to take a commanding lead.
Despite the Blazers getting on the board in the third and fourth innings to make it a 7-3 ball game, that would be all they would manage the rest of the way, as the Blue Jays' bats continued to hum en route to handing Hood a 12-3 loss in its final non-
conference game of the season.
For the Opponent
Sky Zolomij finished the day 5-10 with a double in game one.
Jess Dunn went 3-5 across both games, hitting a double in the first game and a home run in the nightcap.
Up Next
The Blazers return to Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth play with a doubleheader on the road against Eastern University Wednesday, April 23 at 3 and 5 p.m.
