WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University softball team split two extra-inning games with Bridgewater College in a Saturday afternoon ODAC doubleheader at Rotary Field.
The Hornets (11-18, 6-9 ODAC) walked off game one with a 4-3 win in eight innings. Bridgewater (25-15, 11-5) returned the favor in the nightcap, winning 10-4 in nine innings.
GAME ONE RECAP
In the bottom of the eighth sophomore
Tiffany Bower stepped up to the plate and drove in the game's winning run for the third time in eight days.
SU rattled off three straight hits to begin the afternoon which included a two-RBI single by
BayLee Jenkins to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead.
After allowing two quick runs in the first, BC starting pitcher Samantha Martin held SU scoreless for the next four innings. Emma Killion (6-7) replaced Martin in the circle to start the sixth.
Behind that strong pitching in the middle innings, the Eagles tied the game at 2-2 heading to the final innings with one run frames in the third and sixth.
SU starter
Megan Scalley (5-8) stayed in for extra innings and earned the complete-game win by striking out six and allowing one earned run in the process.
A wild pitch gave Bridgewater its first lead of the game in the decisive eighth inning.
With
Lily Richichi placed at second base to begin the final inning, a
Danielle McNeill single advanced her to third and only 60 feet from tying the game.
A sacrifice bunt from
Arlene Miller scored Richichi and put McNeill in scoring position.
Bower then singled home McNeill giving Shenandoah the 4-3 walk-off win in extras.
GAME TWO RECAP
Just like in the first game, game two needed extras to determine a winner. With the game tied at three entering the ninth, Bridgewater went on to score seven in the top half of the inning en route to the win.
BC jumped out to the early 1-0 lead, but SU answered with a sacrifice fly RBI by
Taylor Smith, tying the game at one after one inning played.
McNeill singled up the left side in the second sending Rachel Blumenshine across home plate giving the Hornets their only lead of the game.
The very next inning the Eagles had their own response to the SU run. Jazmyne Smith singled in a run to tie the game once again. Smith finished the game with two RBI including one in the eighth inning.
Neither team was able to score in the middle innings after stellar pitching led the way for each.
BC starter Brantley Swift (5-2) pitched all nine innings in her win with only two earned runs.
Taylor Smith (1-1) took the loss despite pitching a solid five and one-thirds innings; she only allowed one earned run.
Shenandoah plated a run in the ninth thanks to a
Taylor Glover RBI single but the Eagles got three of the next four batters out to finish off the victory.
UP NEXT
Shenandoah takes to the road this Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Lebanon Valley starting at 3 p.m.
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