ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Widener University softball team was upended in its doubleheader against Lebanon Valley on Saturday afternoon. In game one, the Pride took the Dutchmen to 14 innings, but ultimately fell 9-8. In the nightcap, the Blue and Gold were dealt a 7-2 setback.
BY THE NUMBERS
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE
Widener got on the board first in the opening frame. Lawrence led off with a walk and was advanced to third on a Benozich single and Dutchmen error. Lawrence scored on a fielder's choice and Benozich was sacrificed home as the Pride took an early 2-0 lead. In the top of the fourth,
Ally McDaid pinch ran for
Jess Kaczmarczyk after she hit a double to center field. McDaid was then plated by a Lawrence single to make the tally 3-0.
After Lebanon Valley tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth, the Pride's offense continued to roll in the fifth. Benozich and Cooper both got in scoring position off a single and an error to open the inning.
Becca Tiley reached on a fielder's choice that brought Benozich home and stole second during the next at-bat. A Walker triple scored Cooper and Tiley as Widener took a 6-2 advantage. However, a Dutchmen homer and some late hot hitting allowed them to even the score and send the game to extras.
Both sides were held scoreless through the first three extra innings. In the 11th, Benozich singled through the left side to bring the runner on second home as the Blue and Gold went back up by one. The lead was short lived, however, as Lebanon Valley did the same in the bottom of the inning. The 12th inning was a near repeat of the last, this time DiMario driving in the run for Widener. The Dutchmen finally brought the game to an end in the 14th when they scored off a Pride error to take the tight 9-8 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO
Lebanon Valley jumped to a 2-0 lead after one inning. In the third,
Jalia Lawrence singled to right field, stole second, and advanced to third on an error. She was plated on a groundout to cut the Pride's deficit to one. Widener was able to tack on one more score in the sixth after Calciano doubled and
Hope DiMario drove home the pinch runner. However, five runs by the Dutchmen in the final three innings allowed them to roll to the 7-2 nightcap victory.
UP NEXT
Widener now awaits the results of games tonight and tomorrow to see who it will play in the quarterfinals of the MAC Commonwealth Championship on Saturday, May 1.
