Softball splits pair of AMCC home games with Mount Aloysius
MUNHALL, Pa. --- Carlow University softball split a pair of AMCC games against Mount Aloysius College at West Field Thursday night.
The Mounties (15-13, 9-7 AMCC) blanked the Celtics (13-21, 9-7 AMCC), 6-0, in the first game, and Carlow took the nightcap, 9-3.
Game 1: L, 6-0
Mount Aloysius pitcher Sierra Walters tossed a three-hitter to lead the Mounties to victory in the first game of the day.
An error, a single, a walk and a fielder's choice put the Mounties on the board in the first inning. Mount Aloysius followed it up with a two-run single to left field, and an RBI single gave the Mounties a 4-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the inning.
Three singles in a row in the top of the second loaded the bases for Mount Aloysius, but the Celtics turned a double play when a line drive to first base allowed Tatum Wiggs to tag the bag and record two outs.
An RBI single through the right side brought in the Mounties' final two runs of the game. Mount Aloysius retired the Celtics in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings before Carlow would finally reach base again in the bottom of the sixth.
An error allowed a Carlow runner on first, but a double play in the next at-bat handed the Mounties two outs. Clara Niglio singled to left field, and two walks loaded the bases for Carlow, but Walters ended the inning with a pop fly ball.
Carlow had two runners on in the bottom of the seventh before another double play foiled their efforts at a comeback.
Niglio suffered the loss on the mound, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts and a walk in the complete game effort.
Annalyn Isaacs hit 3 for 4 with four RBI, and three other Mounties went 2 for 4 at the plate.
Game 2: W, 9-3
It was a pitching duel through three innings before Mount Aloysius hit a lead-off triple in the top of the fourth. A ground out to the right side put the Mounties on the board first, but it was short-lived as the Celtics gained the lead in the bottom half of the frame.
A single, a walk and an error loaded the bases for Carlow, and an RBI single up the middle off the bat of Bella Cartieri tied the game at 1-1.
A wild pitch a passed ball gave Carlow a 3-1 advantage, and Mackenzie Egley hit an RBI single to right field to put the Celtics ahead 4-1 before Mount Aloysius could get out of the inning.
A wild play added a run for the Mounties in the top of the fifth inning. A one-out single allowed the runner to reach first, but the subsequent throwing error dribbled so far into right field that the runner scored before the Celtics got ball into the infield. The Celtics recorded two fly outs to end the inning, ahead 4-2.
Carlow more than made up for it in the bottom of the inning. The Celtics took advantage of three errors and cranked out four hits to score five runs, just one run shy of a walk-off victory as the teams headed into the sixth with Carlow leading, 9-2.
Both teams left two runners stranded in the sixth, and although an RBI single added a run for the Mounties in the top of the seventh, the Celtics shut them down to secure the win.
Justena Giles earned the win, going the distance and allowing two earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Egley hit 2 for 3 with three RBI to lead Carlow at the plate.
Jessica Koptcho took the loss for Mount Aloysius after allowing three earned runs on two hits with a strikeout and three walks in three innings of work. Whitney Cole went 2 for 4 with a triple, and Grace Gardini hit 2 for 4 with an RBI.
The Celtics conclude the regular season with a 1 p.m. AMCC doubleheader against Penn State Behrend at West Field Sunday.