KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 9, 2017) – The Widener University softball team dropped a pair of morning games to Simpson and Bluffton on Thursday to wrap up a busy week of action in Florida. The Pride fell to Simpson, 3-1, and Bluffton by a score of 6-1.
 
The early game against began as a classic pitcher's duel between Widener senior Alexis Schengrund (Hillsborough, N.J.) and Simpson's Madison Rasmussen. Senior Ally Horvath (Chalfont, Pa.) led off the top of the first with a bunt single and was sacrificed over to second by freshman Jamie Gosselin, but  Rasmussen fanned the next batter and induced a flyout to keep the Pride off the board.
 
Schengrund, meanwhile, controlled the circle by not allowing a hit through three innings. The Storm, however, got a leadoff double from Jordan Williamson in the fourth and capitalized later in the frame when Madi Bennett blasted a two-run single to the gap in right center.
 
Widener attempted to rally and was able to place two runners in scoring position with nobody out in the sixth. Junior Lauren DelRomano (Broomall, Pa.) hit a leadoff single and advanced to third on a double by classmate Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.), but both runners were stranded and were unable to come home. Despite issuing a walk to sophomore Liv Rogers (West Chester, Pa.) to load the bases, Rasmussen got out of the major jam by retiring the last two batters she faced.
 
Even though the Pride got a run in the seventh when senior Nicole Burt (Staten Island, N.Y.) doubled and scored on an error, it would prove to be too little and too late. Rasmussen induced a popup to the potential tying run at the plate, and the Storm hung on for the win.
 
Rasmussen went the distance in the circle for Simpson (4-9) and picked up the victory to improve her record to 3-2 by allowing one run, which was unearned, and eight hits. She struck out four and issued only one walk. Schengrund of Widener took the loss and dropped to 0-2 after yielding three runs, which were all earned, and three hits while fanning seven and walking just one opposing batter.
 
Later in the day, Bluffton (5-2) capitalized on a Pride error in each of the first two innings to build up a 6-0 lead. Kelsey Reeder reached on a throwing error on the first play of the game and came home on a single through the left side by Carly Levindofske to open the scoring in the first. After Horvath easily retired the first two batters in the second, another defensive miscue by the Pride extended the frame and allowed the Beavers to score five more times.
 
Widener placed one runner on base in five of the next six frames with senior Devin Coyne (Chesapeake, Va.) controlling the circle, but the team was only to plate one run in the bottom of the seventh on a blast down the line in left by Taylor Allen (North East, Md.) which resulted in a two-bagger for the junior and plated Rogers. The Beavers then converted a double play to end the game and seal the victory.
 
Emily Scupholm threw a complete game for Bluffton and improved to 3-1 on the spring with the win. She surrendered five hits and one run, which was earned, and struck out five while issuing two walks. Horvath was tagged with the loss after giving up five hits and six runs in 1.2 frames. None of the runs she yielded were earned.
 
Widener (2-4) will have the weekend off and be back in action when it travels to face Penn State Abington on Wednesday, March 15 for a twinbill which is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.