Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
VERONA, Wis. – After having their home opener rained out twice last week, the Edgewood College softball team opened their home season in great fashion on Saturday. The Eagles recorded a total of 18 runs while allowing no runs in two games against Maranatha Baptist. Game one went to the Eagles by the score of 10-0 in five innings and they took game two 8-0 in six innings.
Edgewood College (4-8, 2-2 NAC) wasted no time getting their offense rolling as Karmen Dorshorst opened the game with a bunt single down the third baseline. Pam Sommer followed with a walk and Jessica Spitzer reached on a fielder's choice. Colleen Joyce got the Eagles on the board when she ripped a double down the left field line that ricocheted off the Crusaders' third baseman that scored two runs. Edgewood College tacked on two more runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 cushion going into the second.
Just as they did in the first inning, the Eagles scored four runs in the second inning. Spitzer drove in Dorshorst and Sommer with a double to deep center field. Spitzer then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kristen Salvatore. Monica Humphrey got the offense started again with a two-out walk and later came around to score on a Claire Blake single up the middle to give the Eagles a commanding 8-0 lead after two innings. Edgewood College brought exactly nine hitters to the plate in each of the first two innings.
The Eagles tacked on a couple insurance runs in the third inning to take a 10-0 lead behind pitcher Brittany Andrews, who was equally impressive as the Eagle offense. Through four innings, Andrews did not allowed a hit, struck out eight Crusaders and only allowed one runner to reach base. Her no-hit bid was ended with one out in the fifth inning as Autumn Peotter ripped a single up the middle for Maranatha Baptist's first hit of the day. Andrews struck out two batters in each of the first four innings and ended up with eight strike outs in the game as the Eagles took the contest 10-0 in five innings due to the eight run mercy rule. Andrews only needed 54 pitches to earn her first win of the season.
On the offensive end, the Eagles were led by Dorshorst who went 3-for-4 and scored one run while Joyce went 2-for-3, drove in three runs and scored two more.
Game two started the same way for the Eagles as they tallied four runs in the first inning. This time the big blow was dealt by Spitzer who took the second pitch she saw over the left center field fence for a three-run home run. The bomb was the first of Spitzer's career and it gave Edgewood College a 3-0 lead only three batters into the game. Later in the inning, Dorshorst drove in Joyce with a bunt single to pitcher to give the Eagles a four run lead going into the second inning.
The Eagles extended their lead to five with one run in the second inning and the game stayed that way until the fourth inning. In that inning, Maranatha Baptist (2-11, 0-6 NAC) threatened to get on the scoreboard as their leadoff hitter ripped a single to center field. After a pop out to second base, Lindsey Miller ripped another single to center field to put runners on the corners with just one out. Then Blake, who was pitching for the Eagles, struck out the next batter before loading the bases with a walk. Blake worked her way out of the jam when she got the next batter to fly out to left field and end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles threatened to add on to their lead. Alisha Cleary started the inning with walk, then Emily Monson reached on a fielder's choice before Sommer got on base with a bunt single back to the pitcher. Both runners advanced on a ground out and then Joyce loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch. The next batter fouled out to end the threat and keep the score at 5-0 after four innings.
It looked like the Crusaders would threaten again the sixth after their leadoff hitter reached on an infield single. However, Salvatore picked her off first base for the first out, and then Blake got the next batter to fly out to center field.
Edgewood College ended the game in the sixth inning with three runs. Rachel Elliott drove in Sommer with a single to left field and Hannah Grossen ripped a sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 7-0. After Elliott stole third, Dorshorst ended the game with a bunt single in between the first and second basemen. The Eagles took the game 8-0 in six innings due to the eight run mercy rule.
Blake and Elliott threw three innings apiece for the Eagles as Elliott only allowed one hit and Blake tallied three strike outs. Offensively it was Dorshorst again who led the Eagles as she went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. The only other Eagle to tally more than one hit was Sommer who went 2-for-4 and scored two runs.
Edgewood College will next be in action tomorrow when the travel to Wisconsin Lutheran College. First pitch is schedule for 12:00 p.m. in Milwaukee.
