BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Sacred Heart University softball split its two games at the Red and Black Softball Tournament on Saturday, defeating Detroit Mercy, 12-4, in the opener and suffering a 6-4 loss to Chattanooga in the nightcap.
Team Records
Sacred Heart (4-4)
Detroit Mercy (0-7)
Chattanooga (8-4)
Game 1: SHU 12, DM 4
Pitchers:
Liv Vadas (SHU) - (W, 3.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts, 1-2 record)
Carlie Williams (SHU) - (2.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)
Chloe Spitzer (DM) - (L, 2.0 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 1 strikeouts)
Alison Donaugh (DM) – (2.0 innings pitched, 6 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)
Ross Trotman (DM) - (0.1 innings pitched, 1 earned run)
Top Performers:
Alyssa Gonzalez (SHU) – 3-4, 3 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
Emily Carroll (SHU) – 1-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 home run
Grace Saad (SHU) – 2-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 double
Of Note:
Alyssa Gonzalez got the Pioneers going in the bottom of the first, blasting a three-run homer to left to drive home
Grace Saad and
Jenna Mowad. Gonzalez's first home run of the season put SHU up 3-1.
Saad drove in another run for the Pioneers in the bottom of the second, smacking a two-out double to center to bring
Victoria LoPinto home, giving Sacred Heart a 4-1 advantage.
For the third straight inning, the Pioneers put runs on the board as SHU left the third ahead 7-1. Emily began the frame with a leadoff homer to left before
Charlene Davis hit an RBI double to right. LoPinto capped the inning by singling up the middle to score
Cayla Nista.
The Pioneers answered two Titan runs in the fourth with four of their own in the bottom of the inning. Davis tallied another RBI with a sac fly to center, while a Mowad double made it 11-3 SHU.
Sacred Heart reached the run rule with one out in the fifth, as
Nicole Henke worked a bases-loaded walk to plate Saad for the 12-4 walk-off Pio victory.
In the circle,
Liv Vadas earned her first win of the season by going 3.0 innings while allowing just one earned with four strikeouts.
Game 2: CHAT 6, SHU 4
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 7.0 innings pitched, 6 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 3-1 record)
Izzy Alley (CHAT) - (3.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 3 strikeouts)
Brooke Parrott (CHAT) - (W, 4.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 5 strikeouts)
Top Performers:
Victoria LoPinto (SHU) – 2-4, 1 stolen base
Nicole Henke (SHU) – 1-3, 3 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
Of Note:
SHU's
Sam Kowalski and Chattanooga's Izzy Alley started the game on fire in the circle, as there was just one run scored in the first three innings.
The Pioneers broke the doors open in the bottom of the fourth inning with four runs in the frame.
Amy Petrovich started the frame with an RBI double to center to plate
Samantha Kostek. Henke capped the frame with a three-run blast to put SHU up 4-1.
Unfortunately for Sacred Heart, the Mocs caught fire in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring five runs in a row to seal a 6-4 comeback victory.
Kowalski posted another strong outing in the circle, tossing all 7.0 innings with seven strikeouts.
Up Next
Sacred Heart concludes the Red and Black Softball Tournament tomorrow with a doubleheader against Harvard University and Gardner-Webb University. The Pios will battle the Crimson first at 11 a.m. and the Runnin' Bulldogs at 5 p.m.
