LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding softball team splits with conference opponent Webster at home this past Sunday. Spalding advances to 11-7 overall and 8-4 in SLIAC play.
Game 1: Webster 4 Spalding 3
Spalding would strike first in the bottom of the first inning two grab a two-run lead. A lead off walk by
Ally Klein would start the Spalding offensive. Klein stole second base to put herself in scoring position as Jenn Peffley would move her to third on a ground out to the right side.
Olivia Carter would score Klein on a fielder's choice and reach first safely. As Carter advances to second on a passed ball,
Grace Sweat would double to left center and score Carter on the hit, giving Spalding the lead, 2-0. The Gorlocks would answer back and score four over the course of three innings, giving them a two-run lead. The Golden Eagles would answer back with only one but couldn't top Webster as they would take game one, 4-3.
Miranda Thomas was three-for-three and
Grace Sweat was one-for-two with an RBI and a double.
Game 2: Spalding 14 Webster 13
In the bottom of the first inning, Spalding jumped out to a three-run lead.
Madison Loechle hit a lead off triple to give the Golden Eagles their first runner in scoring position.
Jennifer Peffley then snuck a single up the middle to score Loechle. As the Gorlocks would make their first pitching change,
Grace Sweat hit a single to right center to score Peffley and advance
Olivia Carter to second.
Bella Velez would score Carter on a ground out to the right side and give Spalding a 3-0 lead. However, the Gorlocks would tie the score at three as they push runs across in the second. The Golden Eagles would bust open the bottom of the third as they go on a four-run surge, taking advantage of Gorlock errors and wild pitches. Loechle would single through the left side to score Miranda Thomas who reached third on a passed ball.
Jennifer Peffley reached first safely on a fielding error by the shortstop scoring
Amilia Hall who had walked, giving Spalding a two-run lead. Loechle then scored on a wild pitch adding another un on to the score. Sweat would single to left center to score Peffley and make the score 7-3.
The Gorlocks would add two runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to two runs. In the bottom of the fifth, Spalding would extend their lead to six as they add four runs. However, Webster would string hits together and start a rally of their own to score five runs and put them down by only one run. The Golden Eagles tried to end the game in the bottom of the sixth as they add a two-run cushion. Peffley singled to right field as she would then advance to third on a throw to second.
Bailey Melton scored Peffley on a single up the middle to make the score 12-10. The Gorlocks would tie the score at 12 in the seventh where the Golden Eagles had no answer. As the game heads to extras, the Gorlocks would score on a pass ball, giving them the lead. With the International Tie Breaker rule in effect, Carter would be placed at second base to start the inning. Sweat would single to right field and advance to second on an error by the right fielder as Carter would score from second to tie the score, 13-13. Sweat then advanced to third on a wild pitch from the Gorlocks' pitcher. The Golden Eagles would walk it off in the bottom of the eighth on a Melton single to score Sweat and give Spalding the win, 14-13.
Madison Loechle was three-for-three with an RBI, a double, a triple, and a walk,
Jennifer Peffley was three-for-five with two RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base,
Olivia Carter was one-for-three with an RBI and three walks,
Grace Sweat was three-for-four with three RBIs and a walk,
Bailey Melton was two-for-five with two RBIs and a walk, and
Bella Velez was two-for-five with three RBIs.
Olivia Carter picks up her sixth win in the circle, advancing to 6-4.
Spalding will return to conference play at Iowa Wesleyan Friday April 16 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
