Weehawken, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team split a doubleheader with in-state rival William Paterson University on Wednesday afternoon.
The Ducks (5-11) dominated the opener, defeating the Pioneers 9-1 in five innings, before falling 7-5 in extra innings in the nightcap.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stevens opened the scoring in the bottom of the first.
Megan Curtis worked a one-out walk and stole second. After an out,
Jessica Hsu dropped a single into center field, scoring Curtis from second. The Pioneers responded in the second with an unearned run. After the leadoff batter reached on an error, she came around to score on a fielding miscue by the third baseman.
The Ducks added two more runs in the third.
Allison Mitloff led off with a bunt single, stole second, and advanced to third on a single by Curtis. Both runners crossed the plate when
Rachael Prescott lined a single down the left-field line. Stevens broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning.
Emma Quattrochi led off with a bunt single, followed by a single up the middle from Mitloff. Both runners executed a double steal, and
Jessica Guerrero plated Quattrochi with a productive groundout. Curtis followed with a single before Prescott delivered again, lacing a two-run double down the right-field line. Senior
Emma Ruiz capped off the inning with a two-run knock down the left-field line.
The Ducks' defense made a key play in the fifth. With a runner on first and one out, pitcher
Kyra Fischer fielded a comebacker and started a 1-6-3 double play with Guerrero. Stevens sealed the victory in the bottom of the frame. Quattrochi walked, stole both second and third, and later dashed home on a wild pitch, securing the 9-1 win via run rule.
The Pioneers struck early in game two, putting up three runs on four hits in the first inning.
Ella Tozduman escaped further trouble when Prescott snared a line drive and doubled a runner off third. Stevens managed just one hit through the first two innings before William Paterson added another run in the third on an infield single.
Mitloff ignited the Ducks' comeback in the bottom of the third, reaching on a one-out single and stealing second. Guerrero drove her in with a single up the middle. The Ducks pulled within a run in the fourth, as Isabella Won singled with one out. Pinch-runner
Adrianna Albano stole second and advanced to third on a single by
Riley Lawrence. Quattrochi brought Albano home with a groundout, and Lawrence scored on a Mitloff single, making it a 4-3 game.
The Pioneers extended their lead to 5-3 in the sixth with a run-scoring groundout, but Stevens rallied in the seventh. Lawrence led off with an infield single, and Mitloff followed with a double, advancing to third on the throw. However, Lawrence was thrown out at the plate attempting to score. Guerrero kept the rally alive with an infield single to third, bringing in Mitloff. Pinch-runner Lily Cournoyer then raced home on a Curtis triple to right, tying the game at 5-5.
Neither team scored in the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. In the eighth, the Pioneers plated two runs with a two-out single up the middle, as the second runner narrowly slid in under the tag. The Ducks threatened in the bottom half, bringing the tying run to the plate, but a double play on a fly ball ended the contest.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Prescott matched her season high with four RBIs in the opener, equaling her mark from last Wednesday against Hunter.
- Curtis, Prescott, Quattrochi, and Mitloff each recorded two hits in game one.
- Fischer went the distance in the opener, allowing just three hits while striking out three.
- Guerrero went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in game two.
- Lawrence tallied her second multi-hit game of the season, adding two hits in game two.
- Mitloff collected five hits across both games and scored four runs.
UP NEXT
The Ducks resume MAC Freedom action on Saturday, traveling to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to face King's College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
