CHESTER, Pa. - The Widener University softball team opened its season, splitting a doubleheader against the Delaware Valley Aggies on Sunday afternoon. The Pride won the second game 4-1 after falling 7-5 in the opener.
BY THE NUMBERS
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE
Widener got out in front early as
Kaylin Johnson singled and stole second. Cooper followed and was hit by a pitch before she and Johnson executed a double steal. Benozich came up and laid down a perfect squeeze bunt.
Malia Calciano followed a single to score Cooper for a 2-0 Pride lead.
The advantage doubled in the second when Benozich plated a pair with a single, making it 4-0.
DelVal grabbed the lead with six in the third. Widener battled back with a run in the bottom of the inning when
Hope DiMario singled home
Becca Tiley. DVU tacked on an insurance run with a solo homer in the sixth.
Benozich finished the game 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Making her first appearance in a Pride uniform,
Jennifer Sieminski struck out 10 in 4.2 iinnings.
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HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO
Johnson led off the bottom of the first with a single and stole second, moving to third on a groundout. A Benozich grounder back to the circle was able to plate Johnson, staking the Pride to a 1-0 lead.
After DelVal got the run back in the second, Widener retook the lead in the third as
Ally McDowell singled home Cooper, who walked with one out and stole second.
In the fifth,
Jalia Lawrence reached on an error to begin the inning and stole second. Cooper came up and drilled a double into left, plating the runner. After a groundout moved Cooper to third, she came in to score on a great slide to avoid the tag on another groundout, pushing the edge to 4-1.
Mikayla Fedele started and gave the Blue and Gold four strong innings, allowing one run to earn the win.
Kait Jaworski went three scoreless to pick up the save.
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UP NEXT
Widener begins conference play with a doubleheader against Alvernia on Saturday, March 13. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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