Softball opens spring training at The Spring Games

KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- Carlow University softball opened spring training at The Spring Games with two run-rule losses Sunday.

vs. Benedictine: L, 11-0 (5 inn.)

Benedictine's Mckenzie Johnson tossed a no-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk in an 11-0 run rule win over the Celtics to start the day.

Mackenzie Egley (Shelocta, Pa./Armstrong HS) secured the lone hit for Carlow in the fourth that dropped into center field.

The Eagles (2-1) scored three runs in the first inning. Two singles put runners on the corners, and a rundown between first and second base allowed the runner at third to cross home. A sacrifice fly to left field and a walk afforded Benedictine two more runs before Tatum Wiggs (Boron, Calif./Boron HS) picked up a strikeout to end the inning.

After retiring the Celtics in order in the top of the second, the Eagles erupted with six runs in the bottom half of the inning.

An error and a single put runners on, and a two-run single to left field put Benedictine up, 5-0. Another single, a wild pitch and a subsequent throwing error allowed two more across.

Back-to-back two-out singles brought another run in, and another error loaded the bases.

An RBI single to left-center put the Eagles up 9-0 before Carlow escaped the inning.

Benedictine scored its final two runs in the third. Taylor Oppenhuis hit a solo home run over the left field fence to score the first run. A walk, a single and a wild pitch put runners on second and third, and a sacrifice fly to left field brought in the final run for the Eagles.

Cailyn Lucas (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills HS) and the Celtics allowed just one hit in the fourth, but Carlow was unable to gain any momentum in the top of the fifth to trim Benedictine's lead.

Wiggs suffered the loss after allowing nine runs (six earned) on 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout in two innings. Lucas tossed the final two innings with two earned runs on three hits and one walk.

Oppenhuis hit 3 for 3, and Morgan Bruno went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

vs. Mount Saint Mary: L, 11-2 (5 inn.)

Carlow fell 11-2 to Mount Saint Mary College (1-0) in the second game of the day.

The Knights jumped out to an unearned 3-0 lead in the first behind two hits and two costly Carlow errors.

Kamyia Morris (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic HS) led off the bottom of the inning with a single to left field and stole second in the next at-bat. Back-to-back infield ground outs brought her home to cut Mount Saint Mary's lead to 3-1.

A two-out RBI single put a run on the board for Mount Saint Mary in the third, and Carlow answered with a run of its own. A walk, a ground out and an infield single put runners on the corners for the Celtics. Deborah Garza (San Antonio, Texas/Robert G. Cole HS) drove in a run with a single to right field, with the Celtics now trailing, 4-2, heading into the fourth.

The Knights added four runs with a single and three doubles in the top of the fourth to go up, 8-2, and left a Carlow runner stranded to maintain their lead.

Two singles and an error brought a run across for Mount Saint Mary in the top of the fifth, and back-to-back RBI doubles scored the go-ahead runs for the Knights. Mount Saint Mary retired the Celtics in succession to end the game.

Morris led Carlow at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a stolen base.

Gianna Ferrieri (South Park, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic HS) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs (five earned) on nine hits with one walk in 3.1 innings of work. Lucas tossed the remainder of the game, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits.

Two Knight hit 3 for 4 with three RBI, and two other players went 2 for 4 with five RBI between them to lead Mount Saint Mary. The Knights hit five doubles on the day, and pitcher Grace MacDonald tossed the complete game with two earned runs on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

The Celtics compete against Aurora and Catholic tomorrow at 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex.