FREDERICK, Md. – The Hood College softball team's Senior Day double-header against Marymount University was a resounding success, as the team was so content with its 10-6 win in game one they decided to replicate said 10-6 score in its game two win.
At the Plate
Sam Larkin (Pasadena, Md/Chesapeake High School) went 4-6 with two walks, two RBIs, and two runs.
Kara Heidlauf (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal High School) hit 2-4 in game two, blasting a grand slam as part of her five RBIs.
Anna Sommerkamp (Mechanicsville, Md./Chopticon) finished the nightcap batting 2-3 with two RBIs.
Although
Lizzie McConnell (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) officially hit just 1-2 in the first game, she drew a walk and was hit by a pitch to get on base as well, swiping two bags.
Hanna Janke (Calgary, Alberta, Can./Bishop Carroll) was 2-4 with two RBIs in game one.
In the Circle
Taylor Lowe (Laurel, Del./Delmarva Christian) struck out six batters and allowed just two earned runs for the game one win.
Sydney Weaver (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) whiffed four batters and picked up a win in the second game.
Hood 10, Marymount 6
The Blazers had about as good of a start as you can ask for in this one after celebrating senior
Gabby Carton (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North), as Lowe nearly struck out the side defensively for the team to follow it up immaculately on offense, going through the entire order and chasing the starting pitcher before the Saints were able to get a single out. By then, the bases had once again been loaded while Hood amassed a 5-0 lead for itself. Its bats stayed hot though, with Janke and Lowe both driving in a run, and after Larkin sent the
Blazers eighth runner across home, the onslaught was finally ended with the home team ahead 8-0.
A heads up play from
Bailey Pysher (Pottstown, Pa/Pottsgrove) in right cut down Marymount's response attempt in the top of the second, but the Saints would get on the board in the third with a pair of doubles that cleared the bases and cut Hood's lead to 8-4.
Despite scoring a run early in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 9-4 affair and having two runners in scoring position with just one out, the next two Blazers would go down in order, and Marymount used that momentum to further cut into Hood's lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.
Lowe managed to keep the Saints off the board in the top of the sixth, and after the Blazers were able to tack on an insurance run in the bottom half to make it a 10-6 lead, Lowe again escaped a jam with no damage in the seventh to hang on for the win.
Hood 10, Marymount 6
Game two was a much tighter contest, as neither squad was able to break the scoreless tie for the first two innings despite both getting at least one runner to third.
That changed in the bottom of the third, as a leadoff walk from
Rory Achey (Lewisberry, Pa./Red Land) and subsequent single from Lowe were both cashed in after a deep Heidlauf base hit got them both across home. An error and hit-by-pitch quickly loaded the bases for the Blazers, and a long single from Sommerkamp was able to get two more runners around and make it 4-0 for Hood.
After a quiet fourth inning, the Saints found life in the top of the fifth, scoring four of their own on back-to-back base hits to suddenly tie things up once again.
Despite Marymount seeming to swing the momentum in its favor, the Blazers quickly wrested it away in the bottom of the fifth, as Pysher and
Riley Hertzog (Ocean City, Md./Stephen Decatur) smacked back-to-back doubles to regain the lead. After Sommerkamp forced an errant throw to first that allowed Hertzog to come around and make it a 6-4 game, two base hits once again loaded the bases with two outs. Heidlauf stepped up to the plate, and took her position as cleanup hitter to heart, once again smoking a pitch so high it cleared
the front row of cars parked behind Volpe Athletic Center for a grand slam that made it a 10-4 ball game.
Hood was not out of the woods just yet though, with the Saints scoring a pair of runs in the top of the seventh before loading the bases to get the tying run to the plate. Fortunately, the next line drive off the bat was sent right to Janke who gloved it to end the threat and complete the sweep.
For the Opponent
Kaylee Atkins finished the day batting 6-8 with three doubles and four RBIs.
Haylee Carpenter went 2-3 in game two, driving in two runs and scoring twice.
Up Next
The Blazers wrap up their season with their final Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth double-header on the road against Albright College Saturday, April 25 at 1 and 3 p.m.
