NAPLES, Fla. - It was mixed results for the Eagles on Saturday after splitting a doubleheader against the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford and Geneva College. The Edgewood College softball team pounded out a season-high 17 hits and scored six runs in the sixth inning to rally past the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, 8-4, in Saturday's opener, but were limited to two hits in 12-0, five-inning loss against Geneva.
The Eagle offense, who has outscored opponents 26-6 during their win streak, could have had more after stranding 14 runners on base against Pittsburgh-Bradford. They had a base runner in every inning and the leadoff batter reached base in five of the seven innings.
Trailing 4-2 heading into the sixth, the Eagle bats erupted for six runs and utilized a two-out error by the Panthers (4-3) to pull ahead 8-4. Maddy Coppens (1-0), who pitched 3.1 scoreless inning in relief to earn her first career victory, shut down the Panther bats to preserve the Eagles fourth-straight victory.
A pair of RBI singles by Amanda Meister and Grace Delleman tied the game up at 4 apiece with one out in the sixth. Two batters later, freshman leftfielder Hanna Fisher drew a bases loaded walk for the go-ahead run and a 5-4 lead.
The Panthers then committed a crucial fielding error by the shortstop and opened the door for the Eagles to score three unearned runs, including a 2-run single by the pinch-hitting Sabrina Luedtke with the bases loaded.
Starter Shannon Whitmus surrendered four runs (three earned) and six hits in 3.2 innings before giving way to Coppens. Both were aided by a stellar defense that featured a lunging snag by Amanda Meister on a hard hit line drive to her right side and a slick glove-side pick up on a grounder by second baseman Callie Ziegler.
Five Eagles had multiple hits, including Grace Delleman who finished 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored. Ziegler and Whitmus each added three hits apiece.
An 8-run fourth-inning doomed the Eagles against Geneva as they saw their four-game win streak snapped in a 12-0 defeat. It was the highest scoring inning by an Eagle opponent this season.
Laurissa Belott registered both hits for an Eagle team that ran out of juice in their fourth game of spring break. Despite the offensive struggles, they forced the Golden Tornado defense to make plays after not striking out for the third time in Florida.
The Geneva bats found the gaps in the Eagle defense and launched a three run home run in their big fourth-inning. Otherwise solid, the defense was highlighted by a sliding catch into the fence on a foul fly by freshman leftfielder Hanna Fisher.
The Eagles face Crown (8 am) and Brockport (10 am central time) tomorrow at the CenturyLink Complex in Fort Myers, Fla.
