GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Gettysburg College softball team suffered its first loss in Centennial Conference play this spring in the opening game against Dickinson College, but the Bullets rebounded in game two to pick up the split Sunday at Bobby Jones Field.
Gettysburg (10-10, 7-1 CC) dropped the opening game 3-1 as Dickinson (11-11, 2-4 CC) scored three unearned runs in the fourth inning. The Bullets jumped out to a 5-0 lead in game two and held off a late rally for a 5-2 decision.
The hosts managed all of their offense in the opening inning of game one. Sophomore
Sarahrose Jonik (Glenmoore, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) led off with a triple to right field and came around to score on a two-out single by junior
Meredith Taylor (Hamilton, N.J./Northern Burlington).
After its first 10 batters went down quietly, Dickinson finally solved senior pitcher
Aileen Reilly (Huntington Station, N.Y./St. Anthony's) in the top of the fourth inning. An error on the Bullets kept the inning alive and eventually the Red Devils worked the bases loaded. Nicole Clayton cleared the bags with a deep triple to right field.
Gettysburg placed a pair of runners on base in its final at bat, but a foul-out to the catcher and pop-up to shortstop ended the threat.
Reilly took the loss after giving up three unearned runs on three hits and striking out seven. Jonik and sophomore
Taylor Doi (Foster City, Calif./San Mateo) each went 2-for-3 at the plate.
The Bullets didn't waste any time in the nightcap, bringing across three runs in their opening at bat. Gettysburg loaded the bases to start the frame and following a fielder's choice at home, freshman
Brooke Studnik (Miami, Fla./Dr. Michael M. Krop) and sophomore
Rachel Julie (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) picked up RBI singles. Doi beat out a slow dribbler up the line to bring home the final run of the inning.
Sophomore
Liz Cowell (Verona, N.J./Mount Saint Dominic) added a run-scoring single in the third inning and junior
Sophia Blasius (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) scored on a wild pitch in the fourth inning to close the scoring for the hosts.
Dickinson picked up a pair of runs as a result of fielding miscues in the seventh inning.
Junior
Morgan Clauser (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington) improved to 5-3 this season. She allowed two unearned runs on six hits and struck out five.
Doi picked up three more hits and a stolen base in game two. Blasius finished 2-for-3 with two runs, while Studnik went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Gettysburg visits Lebanon Valley College for a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, April 12, at 3 p.m.
