THE FACTS
Muhlenberg (17-11, 4-5 CC) 6, Gettysburg (16-7, 3-2 CC) 2 (Game 1)
Muhlenberg (18-11, 5-5 CC) 15, Gettysburg (16-8, 3-3 CC) 5 (Game 2 – 5 inn.)
What: Centennial Conference (CC) softball doubleheader
When: Sunday, Apr. 14
Where: Gettysburg, Pa.
THE SKINNY STORY
Muhlenberg scored six runs in the first inning of game one and held on to defeat Gettysburg 6-2 before plating six unearned tallies over the first two innings of game two en route to a 15-5, five-inning victory for the sweep.
THE LEADERS
•
Julia Smith (Marydel, Md./Queen Anne's County) led the Bullets with three hits on the day, including a triple in each game. Her game-one three-bagger in the fifth inning was the 100th of her career.
FOR THE FOES
• Gillian Zack went 4-for-4 with seven RBIs to lead the Mules in game two.
THE REST OF THE STORY
• In the opener, Sophia Cicchetti led off the game with a ringing double to center before a Kaya Mahy single up the middle put runners at the corners. After a stolen base and fielder's choice loaded the bases, Skyla Campisi's RBI groundout staked Muhlenberg to an early 1-0 lead. A fielding error reloaded the bases before a hit batter, single and error made it 4-0 and forced an early pitching change. After a strikeout, Scooter Hulsen doubled to the gap for a 6-0 lead.
• A
Marissa Markel (Carson, Calif./San Pedro) infield single and
Julia Smith triple made it a 6-1 game in the fifth.
• The Bullets tacked on an unearned run in the seventh. A leadoff error and two-out
Bailey Quinn (Hanford, Calif./Robinson Secondary School [Va.]) pinch-hit double scored pinch-runner
Emma Rokoszak (Belmar, N.J./Trinity Hall) to make it a 6-2. Another single brought the tying run to the ondeck circle but Justine Bergara got her sixth strikeout of the game to end the threat and complete the win.
• In game two, back-to-back one-out errors and a fielder's choice without an out loaded the bases before a wild pitch staked the Mules to a 1-0 lead. A two-run Gillian Zack single made it 3-0 before an infield single and third error made it 4-0.
•
Audrey Bergan (Encinitas, Calif./La Jolla Country Day School) led off with a single before scoring on a two-out
Maddie Murphy (Summit, N.J./Summit) double to the gap to make it 4-1.
• In the second, a pair of infield singles and an error helped stretch the lead to 6-1.
• Gettysburg got one of those back in the bottom of the frame on a one-out Smith triple and two-out
Zoe Brennan (Arlington, Va./Yorktown) infield knock.
• A walk and hit batter started the fourth with two out before Zack poked a line drive just inside the left-field pole for a three-run home run and 9-2 lead.
• Smith led off the home half of the fourth with a double before a
Anika Pelekis (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) single to center made it 9-3. After an infield Brenna single put runners at the corner,
Lily Mader (Las Vegas, Nev./Valley) poked the first pitch she saw through the left side to make it 9-4.
• Hulsen and Gabby Colder bookended a six-run fifth with doubles to stretch the lead to 15-4.
•
Alyna Balewitz (Kendall Park, N.J./Lawrenceville Prep), pinch hitting to start the fifth, sent an 0-1 pitch deep over the left field fence for her first collegiate hit, making it 15-5. A single and fielding error put two more on base but Bergara came back in to get out of the jam and finish the run-rule win.
THE INSIDE STORY
•
Nikki Caesar (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) threw the final 6 2/3 innings in relief in the circle with a career-high eight strikeouts against just one walk. She scattered six hits and did not allow a run.
•
Zoe Brennan had her first career two-hit day in the nightcap while
Julia Smith,
Anika Pelekis and
Maddie Murphy also added a pair of hits.
NEXT UP
Gettysburg returns to action at Dickinson on Tuesday. The first game of the doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.
