Softball ends regular season with split at Hilbert

HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Carlow University softball concluded its regular season with an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference split at Hilbert College Saturday.

The Celtics ended the year 7-31 overall and 4-12 in the AMCC, while the Hawks were 6-24 and 1-15 in the conference.

Game 1: W, 7-6

Pitcher Tatum Wiggs (Boron, Calif./Boron HS) capped her collegiate campaign with a career-high nine strikeouts. She scattered 10 hits and allowed five earned runs and two walks in the complete game effort. Wiggs also went 2 for 3 with two RBI to help her own cause in the comeback win.

A two-run double put the Hawks on the board in the first inning, but the Celtics quickly tied the score in the top of the third. A one-out walk, a hit batter and a ground out put runners at second and third for Carlow. An outfield error brought them both across to tie the game.

Hilbert scored three runs on three hits to go ahead 5-2 in the bottom half of the frame before Wiggs escaped a bases-loaded situation with a strikeout and a ground out.

Carlow went up 6-5 in the top of the fourth. A one-out double off the bat of Lexi Berta (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) and a single up the middle by Carrah Scardina (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands HS) saw the Celtics trailing 5-3.

Gianna Ferrieri (South Park, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic HS) drew a walk, and Wiggs singled to right field to score Scardina. A passed ball moved the runners ahead, and a two-out, two-run single off the bat of Taylor Egley (Shelocta, Pa./Armstrong HS) both runners home to give Carlow a 6-5 advantage.

A double and a costly error in the bottom of the inning tied the game once again at 6-all.

Wiggs picked up three strikeouts to retire the side in the fifth, and Carlow scored the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth.

Ferrieri reached on an error, and Wiggs brought her home with a single to center field. The Celtics left three runners stranded in the sixth and retired the Hawks in order in the seventh to secure the win.

Emma Gionta went 4 for 4 with a double and an RBI, and Kaitlin Stolowski went 2 for 4 to lead Hilbert at the plate. Kailey Stolowski was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and five walks in 3.1 innings.

Game 2: L, 8-0 (5 inn.)

Hilbert made quick work of the Celtics in the nightcap, as pitcher Stephanie Mirras tossed a three-hitter to lead the Hawks to a run-rule shutout.

Hilbert scored three runs on four hits and an error to start the game and added another on three hits in the bottom of the second.

Four hits put the Hawks up 6-0 in the fourth, and Hilbert escaped a bases-loaded situation in the top of the fifth to prevent the Celtics from scoring. Two singles put a run on the board and a double to left field ended the game in the bottom of the fifth.

Cailyn Lucas (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills HS) was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits in 1.1 innings.

Mirras had five walks and six strikeouts for the win, and Grace Schwarzkopf went 3 for 4 with a double and four RBI. Gionta and Jazlynn Soliz each hit 3 for 4 with an RBI.