CLERMONT, Fla.– Eastern University Softball used good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting to open the spring with a 3-1 win over Adrian College in the team's first action of the spring. The Eagles, however, were unable to keep that momentum going as a tough first inning led to a 10-2 loss to Alverno College in the second game.
Melissa Irick scattered six hits and allowed only one earned run to pick up the win in the opener.
Irick pitched to contact and held the Bulldogs scoreless through the first five innings. The Eagles played well on defense throughout, but
Samantha Albertson delivered the play of the game in the fifth inning. With two outs and a runner on second, the Adrian leadoff hitter poked a solid single to center. The runner went on contact and did not hesitate around third, Albertson delivered a strike and rookie catcher
Sabrina Thomas delivered the tag to keep the game scoreless heading to the home half of the fifth.
Leah Lozzi started the rally with a single and moved to second on a
Grace Gonzalez sacrifice bunt. After a fly out from
Rebecca Howard, the Eagles needed to keep the line moving with two outs to grab a lead.
Shelby O'Neill worked the count full and took a walk before
Lexi Evelyn came on to hit for Irick.
The freshman made her first career hit count as Lozzi came around to score on a single up the middle. Albertson then lifted a single over the shortstops head to drive in Jess Hamdan who was running for O'Neill. That insurance run proved valuable as the Bulldogs scored a single run on two walks and a pair of singles up the middle in the sixth. The Adrian third base coach did not send his runner from second on either single toward Albertson. Irick induced a pop up to second base to escape the bases-loaded jam with just a single run allowed.
"We mae some clutch plays in a very well-played game against Adrian." Head Coach
Claire Emplit said after the game. "Sam's throw from center and Lexi's two-out pinch hit were really big plays to get us going."
The Eagles pick up another insurance run when Lozzi delivered an RBI single to drive in
Emily Loomis from third. Loomis had led off the sixth inning with a triple. Irick set the Bulldogs down in order in the seventh to complete the game.
Eastern scored twice in the top of the first in the second game of the day, but the Alverno Inferno scored seven times in the bottom of the inning to grab control of the game on the way to a 10-2 run-shortened game. Evelyn started the game and struggled with command in taking the loss. Evelyn and Lozzi picked up RBI's in the top of the first.
Eastern is back on the field tomorrow with a pair of evening games in Clermont.
