LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding softball team split a doubleheader with Hanover College Wednesday night at home improving to 6-4 overall.
Game 1: Hanover 8 Spalding 5
In the bottom of the first inning, the Golden Eagles pushed a couple of runs across to jump out to an early 2-0 lead.
Jennifer Peffley started the rally on a single to second base.
Madison Loechle got herself a free base as she would be walked while
Grace Sweat came to the plate. Sweat cleared the bases on a stand up double down the leftfield line scoring Peffley and Loechle, giving SU the lead. However, two singles and a walk would load the bases for the Panthers. A bases clearing triple for Hanover would give them a one-run lead in the top of the second. Spalding would get two runs back in the bottom of the third as
Olivia Carter and Loechle both singled to spark the offense. A fielding error by the Hanover centerfielder would score Loechle and Carter as
Maranda Thomas slid into third base from the hit.
The Panthers scored three more in the top of the fourth and two in the top of the fifth to put them up 8-4 over the Golden Eagles. Despite scoring one in the bottom of the sixth, the Golden Eagles would fall in game one, 8-5. Peffely finished game one two for four in the box with a stolen base, Loechle finished two for three, Thomas finished two for four with a double and an RBI, and
Jayda Garrison was two for three with a double and an RBI. Carter picks up her first lost of the season.
Game 2: Spalding 13 Hanover 6
In game two, Hanover would take the lead, 1-0, in the top of the first inning. A
Jennifer Peffley triple down the leftfield line would put a runner in scoring position for the Golden Eagles.
Madison Loechle would drive the run across on a grounder to the right side, tying the score 1-1. Spalding put two more up on the board in the bottom of the second as
Brianna Coomer would score on an
Amilia Hall double to right center. Hall would score on a fielder's choice, giving Spalding a 3-1 lead. The Panthers would answer back in the top of the third to tie the score at three-all. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that the Golden Eagles would bat through the lineup and bust open the score, putting them up 8-3. As Hanover tried to recover over the course of two innings, they would only score three, cutting the deficit to two runs.
The Spalding offense gathered enough momentum to give them a seven-run cushion in the bottom of the sixth to end the game 13-6.
Ally Klein finishes one for five with three RBIs, Peffley finishes one for five with a triple,
Maranda Thomas finishes two for three with a double, RBI and a walk,
Bella Velez finishes two for three with an RBI, triple, and a walk,
Brooke Smith finishes a perfect two for two with three RBIs and double, and Hall finishes two for three with a double, an RBI, and a walk.
Erica McMann advances to 3-1 on the season.
Spalding will be back in action in Carlinville, Ill against conference foe Blackburn on Friday April 2.
