Wilkes Softball Ends Home Stand with Two Loses to Susquehanna
EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team concluded a 14-game home stand at the Ralston Athletic Complex by dropping both ends of a non-conference doubleheader to Susquehanna University on Wednesday evening. The River Hawks won game one 13-7 and game two 6-2 as the Colonels finished the home stand with an 11-3 record.
Wilkes is now 17-7 overall after the two losses. Susquehanna improved to 15-12 overall.
The River Hawks struck for nine runs on eight hits, two hit batters, and a walk in the top of the second inning.
The Colonels responded in the bottom of the second with four runs to make it 9-4. Olivia Dougher (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) walked and AJ Bryfogle (Easton, PA/Easton Area) followed with a single to right that moved Dougher to third. Bryfogle then took second on a stolen base. Dougher was then out at home when Taylor Douple (Fredericksburg, PA/Northern Lebanon) reached on a fielder's choice to second for the second out. Nicole O'Rourke (Staten Island, NY/Susan E Wagner) reached on a fielding error by the third baseman which allowed Bryfogle to score. Hana Cross (South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) then singled to left center to bring in Douple and moved ahead to second on an error by the left fielder as O'Rourke went to third. Hannah Boyd (Escalon, CA/Escalon) then singled to left center to bring in both O'Rourke and Cross to make it 9-4.
Susquehanna added a run to make it 10-4 in the top of the third with a hit by pitch, wild pitch, and double. The River Hawks then added three runs on two hits, three walks, and one error in the top of the fifth to make it 13-4.
Wilkes stayed in the game in the bottom of the fifth with three runs to make it 13-7. Boyd began the inning with a single to right. She moved up to second on a groundout. Kayla Burleson (West Chester, PA/B. Reed Henderson) then pinch hit and walked. Dougher then singled to right center to bring in Boyd and move Burleson to third. Dougher would steal second as Burleson scored on the catcher's throw to second. Dougher would go third on a passed ball and then scored on a single to right by Bryfogle.
The next two innings went scoreless as Susquehanna won 13-7.
Bella Peters (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor) (4-1) went 2.0 innings in the start, allowing nine runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts to take the loss. Emily Murphy (Philadelphia, PA/St. Hubert Catholic) went 3.0 innings in relief as she allowed four runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Hope Mullins (Midland, VA/Liberty) pitched the final 2.0 innings not allowing a run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Hannah Foust (5-7) went 5.0 innings allowing seven runs (two earned) on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Amanda Amerman pitched the final 2.0 innings not allowing a hit or run with one strikeout.
Boyd was 3-for-4 with two RBI's and Bryfogle was 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead Wilkes at the plate in game one.
Game two started with Susquehanna scoring two runs on a double, walk, and two-run single in the first.
The Colonels answered back in the bottom of the second as Marissa Pick (Watsontown, PA/Warrior Run) walked, Carly Endres (Vineland, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick) singled on a bunt that was perfectly placed between the pitcher and charging first baseman, and Sami Hendershott (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) walked to load the bases. With two out O'Rourke came through with a two-run single to center field to tie the game at 2-2.
Susquehanna gained the lead again in the top of the fifth with a walk, error, and triple to score two runs and lead 4-2. The River Hawks added two more runs in the top of the seventh to lead 6-2 and the Colonels were unable to mount a comeback in the bottom of the inning.
Hendershott (3-1) started and took the loss as she went 5.0 innings allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and one strikeout. Lauren DeMarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) pitched the final two innings allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts.
Amerman started in the circle for game two going 3.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits with two walks for the River Hawks. Brianna Jones (8-2) entered to start the fourth inning and pitched the final 4.0 innings without allowing a run. She allowed two hits with one strikeout.
Hayden Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area) was 2-for-3 in game two while O'Rourke was 1-for-3 with two RBI's.
The Colonels travel to Misericordia University Saturday to start an eight-game road swing with a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. in Dallas, Pa.
