(Game 1) / (Game 2)
Senior Kelsey Shultz (Parker Ford, PA) ran her career-best winning streak to nine games and received plenty of offensive support in Widener's 5-3 and 14-2 Commonwealth Conference doubleheader sweep at Elizabethtown.
Widener (11-7, 3-1 CC) in game one scored three runs in the top of the second inning for a 3-0 lead. Shultz singled, senior Kelly Vogelgesang (Downingtown, PA) reached on an error and sophomore Shelby Mackintosh (Lumberton, NJ) clubbed a three-run homer. It was her first long ball of the season and third career.
Senior Meg Phillips (Aston, PA) scored on a passed ball in the top of the third inning for a 4-0 Pride cushion. The Blue Jays got two back in the fifth on a two-run homer from Julie Sebastian, making it 4-2.
Each team had one cross home in the sixth for the final margin. Sophomore Casey Hargadon (Wallingford, PA) had an RBI single for Widener and Elly McCarthy followed suit for Elizabethtown.
The Blue Jays made things interesting in the seventh by putting the tying runs in scoring position with two outs, but Courtney Comstock popped out to end it.
Shultz struck out nine and yielded three runs – two earned – and six hits over seven innings. She and Phillips had two hits apiece for Widener, which has won nine of its last 10 contests.
Sebastian (4-6) was charged with five runs – one earned – and six hits over seven innings. McCarthy amassed two hits.
The Pride in the sixth inning of game two turned a close match into a rout, getting a pair of two-out hits for an 8-2 margin. Senior Astyn DiNorscia (Parkesburg, PA) lined a two-run single to right and Hargadon followed with a two-run double down the right-field line.
Widener plated six more in the seventh for the final. Kristina Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, PA) laced an RBI single, fellow sophomore Jody Salvatore (Williamstown, NJ) lined a two-run double, sophomore Jen Nance (Lansdowne, PA) followed with a two-RBI single and DiNorscia added a run-scoring double.
Shultz (9-2) kept the streak alive with six strong innings, allowing two runs and three hits with four strikeouts. The league's winningest pitcher this season also easily leads the conference with 74 strikeouts.
Shultz ended the doubleheader with five hits as she, Nance, Hargadon and Mackintosh all had three hits in game two as part of Widener's 20-hit attack.
Emily Vogel (3-3) pitched all seven innings, giving up 14 runs that included eight earned for the Blue Jays (7-8, 0-2).
Widener on Wednesday visits Muhlenberg for a 3:00 pm doubleheader.
