Softball swept in home doubleheader against Oakland City

KENNEDY TWP., Pa. --- Oakland City (Ind.) University softball swept Carlow University in a River States Conference doubleheader at Fairhaven Park Thursday.

The Celtics fell to 8-22 overall and 4-10 in RSC action, while the Mighty Oaks improved to 13-11 and 6-8 in the conference.

Game 1: L, 11-6

The Celtics started strong with back-to-back home runs from Megan Pollinger and Maddie Bowes in the bottom of the first.

The lead was short-lived, as Oakland City retired the Celtics in order in the second and gained the upper hand in the top of the third.

A double and a fielder's choice allowed one run to score, then a one-out double and back-to-back singles brought in three more runs for the Mighty Oaks to give them a 4-3 advantage.

The Celtics made it out of the inning with a diving catch by Pollinger on a pop-up bunt. After diving for the bunt to record the out, Pollinger recovered and found Morgan Nedley covering third to catch the runner too far off the bag for the double play.

A sacrifice fly and subsequent error allowed two more runs to score for the Mighty Oaks, giving them a 6-3 lead in the fourth.

Carlow cut Oakland City's lead to one run in the bottom half of the frame.

Nedley led off with a double to the left side, and Jillian Durst brought her home with a single down the left field line in the next at-bat.

With two outs and Clara Niglio on third, Marissa Schuckman got caught in a rundown between first and second. In the midst of the commotion, Niglio scored before Schuckman was retired in the rundown the cut Oakland City's lead to 6-5.

The Mighty Oaks tallied back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth. They had another runner in scoring position, but Paige Ziggas made a diving catch in centerfield to end the inning.

Ziggas doubled in the bottom of the inning, but the Celtics could not bring her home.

Oakland City tacked on a run in the sixth, and Niglio hit an RBI single to right field, but the Celtics still trailed, 9-6.

The Mighty Oaks added two more runs on two hits and an error in the seventh to secure the win.

Durst and Ziggas each hit 2 for 3 and Pollinger went 2 for 4 in the effort.

Pollinger was saddled with the loss in the circle after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout in 3.1 innings of work.

Tatum Wiggs, Amanda Hu and Morgan Pierce all contributed to the pitching effort to close the game.

Emily Fitzwater earned the complete game win, and the Mighty Oaks tallied 14 hits in the game.

Game 2: L, 6-2

The Celtics kept it close in the nightcap but could not pull off the comeback.

Both teams stranded runners through the first, and Amelia Herzer came up with a nice backhand play at third to help retire the Mighty Oaks in order in the second.

The Celtics hit into a double play in the bottom half of the frame, and Oakland City broke open scoring in the third.

Back-to-back, two-out singles put runners on for Oakland City, and a subsequent single to left field and an error allowed two runs to score.

Pitcher Morgan Pierce ended the inning with a huge strikeout, and Carlow cut the Mighty Oaks' lead in half with a two-out, RBI single up the middle from Pollinger.

Nedley turned a double play in the top of the fourth and started off the bottom of the inning with a double.

Morgan Pierce hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Nedley home and tie up, 2-all.

Nedley continued to play solid defense, backhanding a hard-hit ball in the gap to get the out at first, as Carlow retired the Mighty Oaks in order in the fifth.

Oakland City scored four runs on four hits in the sixth to lead, 6-2, and left two Carlow runners stranded in the bottom of the inning.

Carlow prevented any more runs from coming across in the seventh, but a running catch by Oakland City's centerfielder on a hard hit ball kept Carlow from scoring in the final inning.

Gallagher and Pollinger each hit 2 for 4, and Nedley went 2 for 3 with a double.

Morgan Pierce suffered the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 5.1 innings of work.

Niglio closed the game with one hit, one strikeout and one walk.

Liberty Smith earned the win for Oakland City, scattering eight hits, walking two and striking out one.

Megan Ghrist and Jessi Goforth hit 2 for 4, while McKendree Ward batted 2 for 3 with a double.

The Celtics host crosstown rival Point Park University for a 3 p.m. RSC doubleheader April 11 at Fairhaven Park.