SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The Lock Haven University softball team (22-10) split a pair of highly contested games at Shepherd University (26-12) in non-conference action. LHU took game won in eight innings 5-2, before dropping the second game 5-4.
The matchup pitted two conference leaders against each other as LHU sits atop of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division while Shepherd is leading the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Northern Division.
The first win of the double header pushed LHU's win streak to 15 games as the loss in the second game was the first suffered since the Bald Eagles spring break trip to Clermont, Fla.
GAME 1: W, 5-2 (8 inn.)
In game one, LHU and Shepherd traded a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings before the two Atlantic region powerhouse teams went to extra innings.
In the eighth inning the bats came alive for The Haven as
Cassie Querry (Cassville, Pa./Southern Huntingdon) singled up the middle to break the tie and score both
Olivia Hall (Hustontown, Pa./Forbes Road) and
Stefanie O'Grady (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley).
Moriah Lindsey (Woolrich, Pa./Central Mountain) and
Madison Mathes (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) both added RBI hits later in the inning to push the Bald Eagle lead to 5-1. The Rams would respond and score one run in the bottom half of the inning as LHU and starting pitcher
Bekah Slattery (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) closed out the game.
Slattery picked up the win as she hurled a complete-game allowing only one earned run as she struck out four and scattered seven hits.
GAME 2: L, 5-4
Casey Carpenter (Spring Brook, Pa./North Pocono) led The Haven at the plate in game two as she went 2-3 and drove in two runs. Going a perfect 3-3 at the dish was
Bree Hilty (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) as she recorded a triple and drove in one run.
Amanda Loar (Barto, Pa./Boyertown Senior) also chipped in with an RBI.
Getting the nod as the starting pitcher was
Kayla Gee (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock) who threw 5 1/3 innings as she fanned four Shepherd batters.
SCHEDULE CHANGE:
The doubleheader at Mansfield which was originally scheduled for Sunday, April 15 has now been rescheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) April 18 with the first pitch of game one at 3:00 p.m.
After the contest tomorrow (Wednesday) at Mansfield, the Bald Eagles will host local rival and PSAC foe Bloomsburg on Friday, April 20. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. This contest will also serve as LHU's Knock MS Out of the Park game.
