KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Gettysburg College softball team bounced back from a loss to Plymouth State University with a 9-1 victory over Montclair State University on Thursday.
 
Gettysburg (6-4) dropped its opening game of the day to Plymouth State (5-7) in the first ever meeting between the two teams. Senior Morgan Clauser (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington) lost her first game from the circle this season after allowing 10 hits, seven runs (five earned) and two walks while fanning out six.
 
The Bullets were in scoring position in the bottom of the second inning, but came up empty. Gettysburg started the inning with a ground out to the pitcher by sophomore Emily Colline (Bridgewater, N.J./Immaculata). Then the next batter, sophomore Brynn Griffith (Maple Glen, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) was walked. Junior Liz Cowell (Verona, N.J./Mount Saint Dominic) came up to the plate to tally the third hit of the game as she singled to right field, advancing Griffith to second. A ground out to the shortstop by senior Sophia Blasius (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) allowed Lowell to go to second and Griffith to third. Plymouth State Debra Morrill caught a fly out to left field to get out of the inning.
 
The Panthers grabbed the 3-0 lead at the top of the third with a two-run RBI single to center field by Madison Harris and a run scored by Ashley Deyo.
 
An RBI single to left field by senior Meredith Taylor (Hamilton, N.J./Northern Burlington) put the Bullets on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Plymouth State opened the fifth inning with a fly out to right field and a ground out to the shortstop, but then notched a single and back-to-back doubles, driving home two more runs, to make it a 5-1 game.
 
The Panthers pushed the advantage to six when Cassidy Emerson singled up the middle to bring Hannah Seidner across the plate in the top of the sixth inning.
 
The Bullets came back in the bottom of the sixth as junior Sarahrose Jonik (Glenmore, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) singled to left field, allowing freshman Kyleigh Dinnien (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) to score the second run of the game. Gettysburg posted two more runs as sophomore Shelby Baker (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) singled to right center to drive home Jonik and junior Taylor Doi (Foster City, Calif./San Mateo) to slice the deficit down to two.
 
A sacrifice bunt by Jen Landers gave her teammate Lindsey Hall the opportunity to score the seventh and final run in the top of the seventh for the Panthers.
 
The Bullets started the final inning with back-to-back strikeouts, but a walk and a single put two runners on first and second base. The comeback was still in reach as Doi singled to left field, driving Cowell to home plate. However, the inning concluded on the next at-bat as Jonik grounded out to the shortstop.
 
Jonik went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Taylor and Blasius registered two hits each, while Baker finished with a team-high two RBI.  
 
The Bullets took control early on against Montclair State (3-3) as the team collected five hits, including a double and a tripe in the first inning.
 
Jonik started Gettysburg off with a single to third base in the first inning. Baker then followed up with a single to left field to drive Jonik home for the first run. Junior Rachel Julie (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) then pounded a triple to right field to bring sophomore Brooke Studnik (Miami, Fla./Dr. Michael M. Krop), Taylor, and Baker across the plate to increase the lead to four. The Bullets tacked on two more runs, scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Jonik, to pull ahead with the convincing 6-0 advantage.
 
Gettysburg continued with the offensive dominance in the next inning with Taylor smashing a solo home run and Julie belting a two-run homer to complete the scoring for the Bullets.
 
Blake Saperstein corralled the solo dinger and lone score of the game for the Red Hawks in the bottom of the second inning.
 
Clauser picked up her fifth win from the circle after allowing just two hits, two walks, and tossing three strikeouts.
 
Jonik went a perfect 4-for-4 with a run and RBI, while Julie notched a triple, home run, two runs scored, and a season-high five RBI. Taylor added a double, homer, two runs scored, and an RBI.
 
Gettysburg closes competition at The Spring Games with two games on Saturday. The Bullets face Ramapo College and William Paterson University at 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.