READING, Pa. (Apr. 16, 2016) – The Widener University softball team dropped both ends of a twinbill at Albright by scores of 2-1 and 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Pride, who were swept in a doubleheader for only the first time this season, also had their impressive winning streak snapped at 15 games.
Junior
Alexis Schengrund (Hillsborough, N.J.) had another solid outing in the circle in the opener for Widener, but Albright's Sammi O'Connor was as equally impressive as the Pride's junior ace. The Lions finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fifth, as Sera Stull hit a two-run single with only one out.
Widener immediately answered back in the top of the sixth when
Ally Horvath (Chalfont, Pa.) singled, stole second and then came home on a single by sophomore
Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.). The sophomore slugger, however, was stranded at second when O'Connor got out of any further trouble by fanning the next Widener hitter for the third out.
O'Connor picked up the victory for Albright and improved her ledger to 13-7 at the time. She gave up four hits and one run, which was earned, while striking out 14 and issuing two walks. Widener's Schengrund suffered her first loss since March 19 and dropped to 11-2 overall. She surrendered four hits and two runs, including one run, and fanned five.
Albright (19-8, MAC Commonwealth 5-3) took control of the nightcap by plating three times in the bottom of the second and never relinquished the lead. Kelly Cembrale, Jordan Chell and O'Connor all delivered RBI hits with two outs to put the Lions ahead before Long blasted a two-run single in the fourth to make it 5-0.
Widener, which won most of its games during the winning streak by rallying from behind, once again did not go down easy and made a valiant comeback attempt. Junior
Bree VanReenen (Elkton, Md.) and freshman
Olivia Rogers (West Chester, Pa.) hit back-to-back doubles to help put the visitors on the board. Rogers then scored an unearned run due to an error by a Lion outfielder to make it 5-2.
The Pride continued to threaten the Lions in the late innings by placing a runner on base in both the sixth and seventh frames. However, O'Connor was able to induce a flyout to center and a popup to third to get out of each inning and allow the hosts to complete the sweep.
O'Connor picked up the win for Albright and moved her record ahead to 14-7 on the season. She allowed eight hits, registered two strikeouts and yielded just one run which was earned. After winning her last four decisions and also picking up a save, Horvath suffered the loss for Widener and fell to 4-3. She surrendered nine hits and five runs, which were all earned, and struck out four.
Widener (21-5, MAC Commonwealth 8-4) will look to regroup and get back on track when it hosts Eastern for a twinbill on Monday, Apr. 18 at 4:30 p.m.
