KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Senior Morgan Clauser (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington) struck out a career-high 13 batters to lead the Gettysburg College softball team past Ramapo College on the final day of The Spring Games in Florida on Saturday. The Bullets dropped the second game of the day 5-4 to William Paterson University.
 
Gettysburg (7-4) won the opener against Ramapo College (0-1) 4-0 as Clauser posted her third shutout of the season and topped her previous career-high for strikeouts by three. A two-run homer by sophomore Shelby Baker (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) helped the Bullets complete the win in game one 4-0.
 
Clauser was magnificent inside the pitcher's circle in game one, striking out at least two batters in each of the first four innings. She allowed only two hits in the game and three walks.
 
The senior fell one strikeout shy of the program's record. It was the most strikeouts in a game since Aileen Reilly '18 fanned 13 against Franklin & Marshall College in the first game of the doubleheader back on April 18, 2017. Beth McCullough '14 holds the record-tying mark of 14 strikeouts, which she accomplished against Staten Island on March 6, 2009.
 
Clauser opened the bottom of the first inning with a walk, but then struck out the next six batters to help the Bullets with the defensive stops.
 
Junior Sarahrose Jonik (Glenmore, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) opened the top of the third inning with a single up the middle and then successfully stole second base. Baker, who was third in the lineup, smashed a two-run homer to lift the Bullets to a 2-0 lead.
 
Two more runs were added in the top of the sixth inning as junior Rachel Julie (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) started the frame with a triple to right field. Senior shortstop Sophia Blasius (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) reached first on a fielding error by the first baseman, allowing Julie to score the third run of the game. An RBI single by sophomore Brooke Studnik (Miami, Fla./Dr. Michael M. Krop) drove home Blasius for the final tally of game one.
 
Junior Liz Cowell (Verona, N.J./Mount Saint Dominic) went 2-for-2 with Jonik also notching two hits and adding a run scored. Backer corralled her first dinger, run scored, and two RBI.
 
In game two, the Pioneers (9-3) plated the first run in the top of the opening inning, but the Bullets quickly tied the game up in the bottom of the inning. Julie was walked to start the inning followed by a single to right field by Baker. Senior Meredith Taylor (Hamilton, N.J./Northern Burlington) then notched an RBI single to left field, allowing Julie to score the tying run. The score stayed tied at 1-1 heading into the top of the fourth.
 
An RBI double by Christine Griffith in the top of the fourth put the Pioneers back ahead, 2-1. However, the Bullets took the lead in the bottom of the inning after collecting three runs. Cowell singled to center field to reach base first for Gettysburg. Junior Taylor Doi (Foster City, Calif./San Mateo) was next as she singled to left field, advancing Cowell to second. Julie then came up to the plate to hit a two RBI double, giving Doi and Cowell the opportunities to tally the second and third run. Baker produced the final RBI single to lift the Bullets to a 4-2 advantage.
 
William Paterson cut the lead down to one in the top of the fifth inning after collecting a run. The Pioneers then grabbed the advantage back in the sixth off a sacrifice fly from Amber Reed and an RBI single from Vanessa Archibold to make it 5-4. The Bullets committed three defensive errors in the inning.  
 
The Bullets opened the final inning with two outs, but Julie belted her fifth triple of the season to put Gettysburg back in scoring position. A fly out to center field by Baker concluded the frame for the Orange and Blue.
 
Freshman Skylar Spinner (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) took the loss after allowing six hits and five runs, while striking out three in seven innings.
 
Julie ripped a double, triple, two RBI, and two runs scored. Baker and Cowell each knotted two hits.
 
Next up for Gettysburg is its home opener against Lebanon Valley College on Thursday, March 21, at 3 p.m.