GRANTHAM, Pa. – A late-game home run proved to be the game winner for Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth opponent Eastern University, as the Hood College softball team fell 2-0 in game one of the playoffs.
At the Plate
Sam Larkin (Pasadena, Md/Chesapeake High School),
Jocelyn Pfleiger (Quakertown, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy),
Hanna Janke (Calgary, Alberta, Can./Bishop Carroll), and
Bailey Pysher (Pottstown, Pa/Pottsgrove) collected hits.
In the Circle
Rebecca Gottleib (Linthicum, Md./North County) allowed just one earned run in the loss.
How it Happened
Defense was the name of the game, with neither team managing to get more than one hit in an offensive outing until the third inning when the Eagles strung together two singles.
Kara Heidlauf (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal High School) took a walk to lead off the fourth inning, but Eastern recovered to make sure no one from Hood got to second base.
The Eagles brought in Maeve Colligan to pinch hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, and unfortunately, she made her at-bat count, as a blast over the left field fence scored the first run of the game. Eastern would send another runner across home to make
it 2-0, and suddenly the Blazers had three outs to find a way to tie things up.
A Janke leadoff single to start the seventh got things off on the right foot for Hood, but the next three batters were unable to get on base to end the game.
For the Opponent
Colligan hit the home run in her only at-bat of the game.
Danika Barthol struck out six batters and allowed four hits.
Notes
With the loss, the Blazers must win their next two games to qualify for the Championship game taking place May 3.
Up Next
Hood will look to bounce back and eliminate Alvernia back in Grantham, Pennsylvania Thursday, May 2 at 2 p.m. The winner of this match will play the loser between Eastern and Messiah at 4 p.m.
