Softball Sweeps Home Opener Against Wesley

(Game 1) / (Game 2)

After a struggle with nature, Widener finally had its home opener and won both games against Wesley in a come-from-behind fashion by winning the first 5-3 and the second 5-4.

Game one started with junior pitcher Jackie Korang (Delran, NJ) throwing three groundouts to retire the Wesley batters in order. In the bottom of the first with two outs, the Pride (5-3) rallied to score two on three hits. Senior shortstop Casey Hargadon (Wallingord, PA) started the rally with a single through the middle and moved to second on an infield single hit by senior catcher Shelby Mackintosh (Lumberton, NJ). Korang helped herself with a two-run single up the middle.

Wesley in the second tied the game at 2-2 by scoring two runs on three hits as well. Kayla Fromal singled to left field and moved to second on a groundout to Hargadon. Brooke Minemier singled through the right side, which then brought designated hitter Brynae Goodley to the plate. Goodley doubled to the right-center gap and easily tied the game. In the fourth inning the Wolverines (5-7) got the edge on the Pride with an unearned run.

In the sixth inning Wesley was a threat to score another run after a double from Fromal, but Hargadon made another out at shortstop to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning Widener tacked three runs to its score on four hits, lead off by a single to right field by senior Kristina Kenney (Philadelphia, AP). Left fielder Jen Nance (Lansdowne, PA) had pressure to put down a bunt with two strikes against her, and did just that to put freshman pinch-runner Emily Corson (Millville, NJ) in scoring position at second. With two outs the Pride rallied again, with a single from both senior Colleen Orsborn (Drexel Hill, PA) and Hargadon and a two run double to right-center from Mackintosh to eventually give Widener the win, 5-3.

Junior Liz Carpino (Philadelphia, PA) pitched two innings of relief and received her first win of the season.

In game two, Widener saw itself down right from the first inning after an error and two hits loaded the bases for Allison Kraky, who hit a grand slam to center field for the Wolverines only four runs of the game.

Widener was able to split to difference in half with one run in the first and one in the second. Between the next four innings the Pride left four runners on base, but could not bring anyone in until the exciting bottom of the seventh inning.

Lead-off batter Carissa Harris (Douglassville, PA) found her way to first base by looking at four balls and made it to second on a single to right field hit by Orsborn. Hargadon got on base to make the bases loaded for fellow senior Mackintosh, who hit a single to left field that scored Harris to make it a one-run game. With two outs and runners on second and third, freshman Heather Forward (Philadelphia, PA) hit her first collegiate double to deep center field on the first pitch to score both runners standing up and to win the game, 5-4.

Senior Christine Mattis (Drexel Hill, PA) received the win after pitching seven innings, striking out seven and giving up three earned runs on eight hits.

Widener will host Arcadia for its first Commonwealth Conference game on Saturday with the first game beginning at 1:00 pm.

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