Softball splits a pair on opening day at the Spring Games in Florida
Leesburg, FL- The MCLA Softball team split a pair of games on "opening day" this afternoon at the Spring Games in Leesburg, Fl. MCLA fell in the season opener to Mount Union 9-7 before holding off Mount Saint Vincent 9-4 in the nightcap to earn the split. MCLA is now 1-1 on the early season with another twinbill set for tomorrow with Simpson College and Juniata College.
Game One- Mount Union 9 - MCLA 7
In the opener, Mount Union scored twice in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 advantage. MCLA would tie things up in the top of the second as Alanza Quinones and Trinity Shellard each posted RBI doubles making it 2-2. The Purple Raiders would respond with five runs in the bottom of the frame to take a commanding 7-2 lead after two innings however.
The teams swapped runs as MCLA tallied a run in the third on a passed ball and Mount Union tacked on another in the fourth making it 8-3 before MCLA rallied.
The Trailblazers would scored three times in the fifth as Kaylyn Holliday ripped an RBI single to start the scoring. Erika Quackenbush delivered another run on a groundout and when Kara Adams singled to center, it was 8-6 in favor of the Raiders. MCLA had a chance for more, but stranded a pair of runners.
Mount Union added an insurance tally in the fifth, but then MCLA answered on Nevada Nelsen's RBI knock to make it 9-7. The Trailblazers would go quietly in the seventh though and the Raiders held on.
MCLA outhit Mount Union 12-7 in the game. Berghela had three hits and scored three times to pace the offense. Nelsen and Quinones each ended with two hits.
Adams took the loss in the circle for MCLA.
Game Two- MCLA 9 - Mt. St. Vincent 4
The Trailblazers came out firing in game two as starter Sam Feinstein sent down the Dolphins in the first and MCLA responded by scoring six times in the bottom of the inning. Nelsen ripped a two run single scoring Berghela and Kayla Baker to start things off for an early 2-0 lead. After an error brought home two runs, Cassie Crosier's fielders choice made it 5-0. Feinstein would help her cause with an RBI single up the middle making it 6-0 after one inning of play.
The Dolphins would chip away at Feinstein and pull within 6-4 after four innings of play, but MCLA responded with some key insurance tallies in the fifth and sixth frames.
In the fifth, Quinones knocked home Quackenbush to extend the lead to 7-4. When two runs came home on some infield miscues, it was 9-4 and Feinstein did the rest. She would put the Dolphins down quietly in the seventh to preserve her first win of 2019.
Nelsen, Quackenbush, and Holliday all ended with two hits in the game. The Trailblazers and Dolphins each ended with 9 hits apiece.
The win in game two was the first for Co-Head Coaches Amanda Meczywor and Ashley Ciepela at MCLA.