READING, Pa.– Eastern University Softball rode a pair of strong pitching performances and some timely hitting to a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader sweep at Alvernia. The Eagles (20-3, 7-1) earned five-run wins in both games to move to the top of the league standings.
In the opener, the Eagles scratched out a single run on a
Sydney Ostolaza fielder's choice int he first innings and then did not give
Danika Barthol any margin for error until they put together a a four run sixth inning for a 5-0 lead.
Barthol, it turned out, did not need the margin. The first year right-hander struck out 13 and allowed only two hits in claiming her ninth consecutive win. Barthol flirted with a no-hitter, but allowed a one-out double after her team had stretched the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Alvernia's only other hit in the game came on a lead-off single in the seventh.
Susana Perez led off the sixth inning with a ringing double to the fence in center.
Kelci Cost reached on a bunt single to build the rally. With runners on the corners,
Maeve Colligan came on and delivered a an RBI single to left center for a 2-0 lead.
Tori Hook then delivered the big blow of the inning with an opposite field double to drive in three.
Eastern did all their scoring early in a 7-2 win in the nightcap.
Sophie Rollins drove in
Jania Long with a double in the second inning. The first three players reached in what turned into a six-run third.
Alyssa Binczak started the run with a single. She scored on a
Kacie Noonan double. Noonan had two hits in the game and has reached in ten of her last 19 plate appearances. Noonan scored on another Ostolaza ground ball after
Tori Hook had moved her to third with a single.
Long drove in Ostolaza with a double. The Eagles scored one run on a passed ball and Rollins picked up her second RBI of the day with another hit. Rollins scored after a hit from
Ainsley O'Donnell that tunrned into extra bases after an outfield error.
Long allowed just one hit in three innings in the circle before giving way to
Bryn Clifford. Clifford picked up the win in relief with four innings of work. Though the Golden Wolves had some traffic on the bases, Clifford held them without a run until the sixth, where the hosts scored a pair of runs. One of those was unearned. The Eastern pitchers got their 21 outs with only one strikeout in the second game.
After taking a day off for an eclipse, the Eagles will host a non-league doubleheader against Arcadia on Tuesday before returning to MAC Commonwealth play at Hood next Saturday. York will play this weekend's doubleheader at Widener tomorrow evening. The Spartans can climb back into a tie with the Eagles atop the league standings with a sweep at Widener. York and third-place Messiah will play at York next weekend.
