Cresson, PA - The Mount Aloysius Softball team opened their home slate on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping Saint Vincent College. Despite falling behind in game 1, the Mounties staged a late comeback to win the game 7-5. Game two saw Saint Vincent tie the game in the top of the 7th, and the Mounties respond to win the game in walk off fashion in the bottom half.
The Mounties jumped ahead early in game 1.
Tawnya Holben (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) had a memorable home debut, as she hit a home run in her first home at bat, hitting a 2 run blast over the left field fence. Fellow freshman
Emily Cochran (Natrona Heights, PA/Highlands) started the game in the circle for the Mounties. Despite keeping the Bearcats off the board for the first two frames, she allowed 3 runs in the 3rd and 2 in the second to fall behind by 3.
Nina Shatzer (St. Thomas, PA/James Buchanan) entered the game in the 4th, was able to get out of the jam and keep Saint Vincent scoreless as the Mounties attempted their comeback.
Mount Aloysius was able to respond in the 4th, using 3 straight hits to cut the deficit to 1.
Kayla Hopkins (Canonsburg, PA/Canon-McMillan) started the rally, singling through the left side.
Abby Reitz (Greencastle, PA/Greencastle Antrim) followed that with a single to center and Briana Benscoter (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) drove them both in with a double to deep center field.
After a scoreless 5th, the Mounties were able to push 3 across in the 6th inning to take the lead.
Lydia DeFazio (Harrison City, PA/Penn Trafford) hit a single through the left side to lead off the inning and Shatzer reached on an error. As the go ahead runner, Shatzer was lifted for a pinch runner,
Leanne Cardoso-Bastos (Hillside, NJ/David Brearly). Hopkins singled to center to drive in the tying run. Hopkins and Cardoso-Bastos moved into scoring position on a passed ball and stolen base, and then were driven in on a clutch 2 out double to center by
Kara Pisczek (Johnstown, PA/Conemaugh Valley).
Karlie Clark (Yukon, Pa/Yough) pitched the 7th, and despite allowing the first two batters to reach, was able to get three in a row to close the game for the Mounties. Shatzer was credited with the win for her 2 and 1/3 innings of scoreless release work. Her record is now 2-2 on the year. Clark picked up the save, her first of the year. Holben and Hopkins were the only Mounties to record a multi-hit game, picking up 2 hits each.
Game 2 started as a pitchers duel, until the two teams combined for 7 runs in the final 3 innings. The Mounties scored the first run again, this time in the third frame. They staged a two out rally that started with a DeFazio walk and a Hopkins single to center. Then, Reitz hit a chopper between first and second base, hustled down the line for an infield hit. The Saint Vincent defender fielded the ball and despite Reitz having the single beat out, threw the ball to a unoccupied first base, allowing the run to score.
Clark started the game for the Mounties. She breezed through the first 3 innings before allowing a run to score in the 4th and in the 5th. The Mounties responded again, this time scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th. They used 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 errors to score the runs. Cochran and DeFazio picked up singles to start the rally, Hopkins walked to load the bases and Reitz brought in the first, drawing a bases loaded walk. The final two runs of the inning scored on a fielding error and a throwing error on an attempted inning ending double play.
Clark looked to close out the game in the 7th, but two 2 out doubles from the middle of the Saint Vincent order tied the game at 4. Pisczek Entered the game after the runs scored and was able to get the final out of the inning in 3 pitches. In the bottom half od the inning, the Mounties only needed 2 batters to win the game. DeFazio drove a line drive through the left side of the infield to lead off the inning and
Kayla Hopkins drilled a line drive just over the outstretched glove of the Bearcat left fielder. DeFazio hustled around the bases and scored the winning run without a throw.
Pisczek picked up the win for the Mounties, her 3rd of the year. DeFazio went 3-3 in the game and scored 3 runs. Hopkins and Reitz both recorded 2 hits in the game.
The wins moves the Mounties record to 10-3 on the season. They have had some schedule changes due to impending weather in the Cresson area near the end of the week. Their doubleheader against Waynesburg, scheduled for Friday has been canceled, and the home double header against Chatham has been moved to Sunday, starting at 1:00 PM.
