FORT MYERS, Fla. – Led by a pair of standout performances by Shannon Whitmus and Amanda Meister, the Edgewood College softball team dominated from start to finish with a pair of big wins over Rivier University, 10-0, in five innings and a 2-1 victory over Penn State Altoona to open their 10-game Gene Cusic Classic trip on Friday morning.
The young, athletic Eagles achieved two impressive feats after not commiting an error or striking out in either game. It was the first time since April 2015 they haven't committed an error in back-to-back games and first time since April 2006 they hadn't struck out in back-to-back contests. As a result, they own their first three-game win streak in almost two years. With up to six freshmen in the starting lineup, things are looking up for an Eagle team that already has three wins after accumulating four last season.
Whitmus (2-2) tossed four scoreless innings and added two hits, two runs, and two RBIs on offense to help lead the Eagles (3-3) past winless Rivier University, 10-0, in game one.
Jordan Anderson posted two hits with one run and a game-high three RBIs and freshman Callie Ziegler added two hits out of the eighth spot in the win. Maddy Coppens threw a scoreless fifth and recorded her first career strikeout against the final batter to end the game and conclude her Eagle debut.
The Eagle offense jumped all over Rivier's Kendall Liggett (0-1), who was making her season debut, with three runs in each of the first two innings and took advantage of two early errors in the opening frame. Belott eventually scored after being aided by an errant throw by the catcher and Whitmus, who laced an RBI single, finished her trip around the bases thanks to another Raider throwing error.
Anderson roped a 2-run single in the second to highlight the scoring, but the Eagles could have had more after leaving bases loaded to end the inning. Both Whitmus and Anderson added RBI hits in a 4-run fourth inning en route to their first run-rule victory since Whitmus' no-hitter against Centenary in Florida last year.
Scoring was at a premium in 2-1 win over Penn State Altoona, but thanks to the freshmen pitching duo of Coppens and Meister and a couple timely hits, the Eagles prevailed.
Coppens, making her first career start, battled her way through the first inning after facing a bases loaded situation with one out. She didn't come away unscathed, but gave up her only run on a bases loaded walk. She gave up just one hit and one in three innings of work before turning it over to Meister.
Meister (1-1) tossed four scoreless innings of relief to earn her first career victory and surrendered just three hits to go with two strikeouts. She stranded one runner in every inning, but every time she ran into trouble the improved Eagle defense was there. She combined with Coppens to limit the Lions to one run on four hits.
Meister was a force on offense as well, tying a team-high two hits with Anderson. Delleman and Sabrina Luedtke, who's go-ahead RBI triple in the sixth proved to be the winning score, drove in both Eagle runs.
The Eagles look to extend their winning streak against the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford (8 am) and Geneva College (10 am central time) on Saturday morning in Naples, Fla.
