Softball splits twin bill earning first win of the season

Naples, FL— The MCLA Softball team split a doubleheader earning their first win of the season today at the Gene Cusic Classic. The Trailblazers fell to Wilmington (Ohio) 10-8 in game one before bouncing back to defeat Alfred State 12-4 in game two. With the win the MCLA improved to 1-5 on the season.

Game One         Wilmington (Ohio) 10    MCLA 8

A Lidia Flores single driving in Hailey Peabody and a Maggie Closinski sacrifice fly scoring Madyson Torres in the top of the 1^st inning would give MCLA an early 2-0 lead in game one against Wilmington (Ohio).

The Quakers would score eight runs over the next four innings to go ahead 8-2.

The Trailblazers would manufacture a run largely on the back of Madison Teta in the top of the 5^th, but Wilmington would respond with another pair of runs in the bottom half to go up 10-3.

MCLA's Justina Pardi would drive in Kristie Zator in the top of the 6^th to make it 10-4. After a walk and a single loaded the bases, Teta stepped up and crushed a ball to the right-center field fence for an in the park grand slam cutting the deficit to 10-8.

After holding Wilmington scoreless in the bottom of the 6^th and a leadoff single by Torres in the top of the 7^th, the Trailblazers ran out of momentum unable to complete the comeback.

Judea Wilson, Logann Julian and Samantha Schwab each had two hits, driving the Wilmington offensive effort. Mollie Moore also went 1-for 3 with 2 RBI's. Quaker starter Hillary Huffer (W, 1-1) pitched 6 2/3 allowing only one earned run on 5 hits.

Teta's 4 RBI's led the Trailblazers. Flores (1-for-4, 2 RBI's), Zator (2-for-4, 1 run scored) and Pardi (2-for-3, RBI) also were productive at the plate.  Gabriella Cozzolino (L, 0-2) and Sarah Williams pitched three innings each allowing 5 earned runs on eleven hits.

Game Two         MCLA 12             Alfred State 4

Alfred State would jump out to an early 3-0 lead after the top of the 1^st but MCLA would come charging back tying the game in the bottom half.

Hailey Peabody's (1-for-3, 2 R, RBI) double would drive in Madison Teta (1-for-1, 4 R, 3 BB) to get the Trailblazers on the board. Peabody would later score on a fielder's choice and a Maggie Closinski (2-for-3, RBI) base hit would drive Kristie Zator to tie the game 3-3 after one inning of play.

MCLA would add two more in the bottom of the 2^nd when a Lidia Flores (3-for-4, 6 RBI's) double brought home Teta and Ella Staffier (1-for-3, 3 R) to make it 5-3.

Alfred State would get one back in the top of the 3^rd but from there it was all Trailblazers. MCLA would bat around in the bottom half scoring five runs to stretch the lead to 10-4.

After MCLA scored two more in the bottom of the 4^th to make it 12-4, the Pioneers loaded the bases in the top of the 5^th but were unable to bring in a run thus succumbing to the eight-run rule.

Four Alfred State players would finish with two hits. Pioneer starting pitcher Abby Beidel (L, 0-3) allowed 10 earned runs on nine hits and five walks in the loss.

MCLA's Lidia Flores (W, 1-2) went the distance on the mound allowing 4 earned runs on ten hits and had a monster performance at the plate going 3-for-4 driving in six runs.

The Trailblazers will be off tomorrow before returning to play on Wednesday to take on St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) at 11am and Western Connecticut at 1pm in Naples, Florida.