FREDERICK, Md. – Three-run home runs from
Riley Hertzog (Ocean City, Md./Stephen Decatur) and
Kara Heidlauf (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal High School) powered the Hood College softball team to an 8-6 win over Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth rival Stevenson University before ending the day with a 7-1 loss in game two.
At the Plate
Heidlauf finished game one batting 2-3 with a walk, hitting a double to go with her home run.
Hanna Janke (Calgary, Alberta, Can./Bishop Carroll) was a perfect 2-2 with a walk in the first game, logging a double herself.
Bailey Pysher (Pottstown, Pa/Pottsgrove) went 1-2 with a pair of walks in game two.
In the Circle
Taylor Lowe (Laurel, Del./Delmarva Christian) secured the game one win with three earned runs and four strikeouts.
Sydney Weaver (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) took the loss in game two, striking out three batters.
Hood 8, Stevenson 6
Despite the wind picking up and blowing against them as the game started, the Blazers had no worries in the first inning as Lowe sat the first three Mustang batters down and
Lizzie McConnell (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) kicked the game off with a base hit. It looked like that would be the only thing Hood would get on the basepaths, but after a comebacker to the pitcher allowed McConnell to get to second,
Sam Larkin (Pasadena, Md/Chesapeake High School) sent a ball just deep enough to the outfield to allow her to open the scoring. After Pysher wore the first pitch she saw and took first, Heidlauf in turn blasted the very first pitch she saw over the cars in the front row of the parking lot to give the Blazers a 4-0 lead.
Not to be outdone, Stevenson hit back with three runs in the top of the second to cut Hood's advantage to just one, but the Blazers would get their multi-goal lead back with a run in the bottom half.
Neither team was able to add to their totals the next two innings, although Hood got close with the bases loaded and just one out, but it would be the Mustangs who got hot first, plating a runner in the top of the fifth to again get within one.
Seeing their lead threatened again, the Blazers worked quickly to get Pysher and Heidlauf on base, with the latter doubling right down the left field line to get both of them in scoring position. It would not have mattered how many were in the right positions though, as Hertzog came up and sent a pitch as dead-center as you can get over the wall to make it an 8-4 game.
A clean sixth inning put Stevenson down to its last three outs, but it made Hood work for them, with the first two batters getting on. Lowe got the next two to fly out thankfully, and after what could have been the final out falling just out of reach of the right fielder to allow both baserunners to score, managed to get the next batter to send a ball right to Heidlauf to catch and end the game.
Stevenson 7, Hood 1
In the second time around, it would be the Mustangs who struck first, with a pair of doubles to start the game off giving the visitors their first lead of the day.
The Blazers eventually responded and tied things up in the bottom of the third thanks to Heidlauf's second double of the day but could not add anymore.
Two runs in the top of the fifth gave Stevenson the lead once again, and after Hood failed to score anyone despite loading the bases with one out, put up a four-spot in the top of the sixth to make it a 7-1 affair.
Unfortunately, there would be no dramatic comeback for the home crowd celebrating faculty appreciation, as the Blazers would manage just one baserunner in the final two innings to split the day.
For the Opponent
Ava Stafursky went 3-3 with two doubles in the second game.
Tessa Boswell finished the first game 3-4 with two RBIs.
