VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Husson University softball team closed out their Virginia trip on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader loss to No. 6 Virginia Wesleyan at Broyles Field. The Eagles fell, 3-0, in game one then , 8-5, in game two as they are now 6-10 while the Marlins improve to 12-4.
Game One: No. 6 Virginia Wesleyan 3, Husson 0
The two teams met for the first time since their contest in last year's NCAA regional at Amherst and just like last season; it was a low scoring affair.
There was only four combined hits in the first four innings before the Marlins were able to open the scoring on a RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth. A field error allowed the Marlins to score a second run and lead 2-0 after five innings. A third run was scored in the sixth inning as the Eagles were unable to respond in game one.
Senior McKenna Smith pitched a complete game as she allowed two earned run on seven hits and struck out a batter.
Junior Kenzie Dore led the offense with two hits while senior Olivia McCarty recorded a double down the left field line.
Game Two: No. 6 Virginia Wesleyan 8, Husson 5
The offense was alive in the second game as the Eagles scored the opening run thanks to a Marlins error. It didn't take long for the Marlins to respond as they put together a run in each of the first three innings to take a 3-1 lead.
Sophomore Tori Exel brought the Eagles back to within a run in the fourth with a solo blast before the marlins added five more runs.
It was a 8-2 ballgame in the top of the seventh when the Eagles attempted a comeback. Freshman Tayler Watterson began the inning with a pinch hit single followed by a walk by McCarty. With two on, junior Julia Gregoire recorded an RBI on a ground out to make it , 8-3. Exel, followed that up, with a single to bring McCarty home then Smith singled to set up runners on the corners. After a pitching change, sophomore Bulla McCabe drove a single up the middle to score freshman pinch-runner Lydia Rice. The comeback though would stall at, 8-5, as the Marlins recorded the final out.
Freshman Danielle Masterson, freshman Emily Rerick, and Smith each pitched two innings as they combined to allowed eights runs on 14 hits.
Softball gets a week off from games before returning to the field next Saturday as they will travel to Biddeford to take on the University of New England with game one of the doubleheader set for noon.
