The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles (16-30) closed the regular portion of the softball season by hosting a two-game series with Carlow (PA) and traveling to Ohio to face Miami Hamilton. In the end, the Pippa Passes club would come away with a big split for the four contests.
April 29
GAME ONE: Carlow-2; Alice Lloyd-4
The Caney Creek Club took the lead in their final at-bat and used a solid pitching performance to take the opening game win.
Carlow scored 1 in the first on a double and fielder’s choice (1-0). The score would then remain unchanged until the fifth.
The Lady Eagles finally dented the scoreboard in their half of the fifth as an Abigail Stambaugh (RF) double led to her scoring on a fielder’s choice (1-1).
CU broke the tie in the next inning with a single to left field, but the Caney Creek Clubbers would have an answer. First, Lyndsey Adkins (1B) promptly tied the game once more with a leadoff bomb to dead center field (2-1). Then, with two runners on base, Mackenzie Brewer (3B) would drive them both in with a double. Now, Alice Lloyd led 4-2.
In the seventh, ALC brought in Maleigh McDaniel to seal the deal from the mound, and she promptly retired three of the four batters she faced to clinch the nice win.
For the victors, Adkins had 2 hits and Brewer provided 2 RBI’s.
Pitcher Baylee Cox was sharp as she went 6 innings, gave up just 3 hits and 1 earned run. McDaniel took the save.
ALC won the hitting battle, 6-3 and committed 2 errors, compared to Carlow’s 4 errors.
GAME TWO: Carlow-9; Alice Lloyd-4
The Celtic ladies plated 6 runs in the first two innings to pull out a split for the series.
The guests dented the scoreboard out of the gate as they used a homerun and 3 singles to jump ahead 3-0.
However, ALC responded in their first chance when doubles from Adkins and Ellie Keene (C) produced 2 scores (3-2).
Carlow went back to work in the very next inning when 2 singles and a wild pitch helped push 3 scores across the plate. The Pennsylvania crew now led 6-2.
The Lady Eagles earned 1 of those back in the bottom of the inning when Stambaughs double gave them a run (6-3), but they gave runs back in the fourth when 3 crucial errors allowed 2 to score (8-3).
McDaniel’s single drove in an ALC teammate in the fourth (8-4), but the Celtics made the run back on a sacrifice and double in the fifth (9-4). The home club was then limited to just 2 singles the remainder of the way as CU took the victory.
For ALC, McDaniel had 3 hits while Stambaugh and Baylie Compton (LF) each added 2.
Pitcher Mckenzie Brewer threw the opening inning and allowed 3 hits and 3 runs. Hayley Howell, Kursten Napier, Carly Creech, and McDaniel all pitched in relief.
Carlow led in hits,11-9, but ALC led in errors, 5-2, which proved to be the deciding factor.
May 1
GAME ONE: MH-12; Alice Lloyd-11
The Ohio club came back late to win in an entertaining slugfest.
The Caney Creek Club took the lead in the second when 3 hits, including a Brewer triple, produced 2 runs (2-0), but Miami scored those right back when a 2-run shot tied things (2-2).
In the third, Brewer singled in 2 more scores (4-2), and the Harriers got 1 back on a single (4-3).
The Lady Eagles looked good with 3 runs in the fourth. Morris pounded a bomb over the left field wall and helped produce another 3-spot, and the Pippa Passes crew now led 7-3. However, it would not stay that way long.
In the lower half of the fourth, MH was gifted 2 scores on an error, but the big play was a 3-run blast that gave them the advantage, 8-7.
Happily, ALC would answer right back in the fifth. The Kentucky gals would go small ball, as 6 singles produced 4 more runs. (11-8). However, the squad would leave 2 runners on base, and that would come back to haunt them.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hamilton used 2 doubles and 3 singles to earn 4 runs of their own and regain the lead (12-11). The contest now entered the final inning.
In the wild seventh, Alice Lloyd would use a hit batter and 2 singles to load the bases with nobody out. A huge inning seemed in the works. Stunningly, the next three batters would all ground out, and the swift turn of events handed the hosts the win.
For the Lady Eagles, who smacked the ball well, Brewer went 4-4 and provided 4 RBI’s. Keene and Morris both added 3 hits.
Pitcher Baylee Cox started and went 3.1 innings. She allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs. She was followed on the mound by Napier, Howell, and Creech. Creech took the loss even though she allowed just 1 hit.
ALC won the hitting battle,17-13 and committed the lone error.
GAME TWO: MH-5; Alice Lloyd-7
The Bluegrass ladies turned the tables as they came back from a deficit in their final-at bat to earn a split.
The guests exploded out of the gate as they used 5 singles to gain a quick 3-spot (3-0).
True to form, Miami came right back when given their opportunity, utilizing 4 hits of their own to plate 4 runs, and take a 4-3 advantage. They then gained an insurance run in the third behind a Lady Eagle error (5-3).
Nothing changed until the Caney Creek sixth. At that juncture, Keene would single, then later score on Stambaughs double (5-4).
In the unpredictable seventh, Alice Lloyd would see Adkins reach on a single, followed by Cox being hit by a pitch. Then, with one out, Keene lined a fast ball over the left field wall. The stunning turn of events gave the Bluegrass squad a 7-5 edge. Now, they just had to hold it.
MH would promptly load the bases with just one out, and a solid hit would tie or win the game. Happily, for ALC fans, the tables would turn in this matchup as pitcher Cox got a groundout on the next pitch. Then, with two away, she blew a fastball by the hitter to hand the victory to the Pippa Passes posse.
For ALC, Keene had 3 hits and 4 RBI’s while Morris, McDaniel, Brewer, and Compton each added 2.
Pitcher McDaniel started and went 4 innings, allowing 6 hits and 3 earned runs. She was followed by Brewer who gave up just 1 hit in 1.2 innings. Napier then faced 1 batter in the sixth, got her out, and actually earned the win. Cox would close the action to earn the save.
The victors laced the most hits,14-8, but were fortunate to overcome a 3-0 error advantage.