CLERMONT, Fla. – The Husson University softball team opened up its 2024 season on Saturday morning, earning a doubleheader split in the Sunshine State, as it defeated Bethany Lutheran College 5-0 and fell to the University of Mount Union 7-0.
GAME 1:
In game one, Husson (1-1) used a dominant pitching performance from sophomore Danielle Masterson to pick up its first victory of the year. Masterson went the distance, pitching seven shutout-innings and allowing just four total baserunners (two hits, two walks), in addition to striking out 13 Bethany Lutheran (4-5) batters to pick up her first win of the season.
The Eagle offense got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning, as graduate student Katie Raymond drew a bases-loaded walk that scored junior Tori Exel. Husson continued the small-ball approach to scoring runs, as senior Jess Pomerleau used a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home senior Julia Gregoire and give the Eagles a 2-0 lead after two innings.
Husson utilized some two-out offense in the bottom-half of the third inning to extend its lead to 3-0 as Gregoire hit a double that split the left-center field gap to score Exel. More small-ball got the Eagles their final two runs of the contest in the bottom of the sixth, as senior Olivia McCarty reached base on an error, which scored freshman Lyndsee Reed. Raymond followed that up by plating McCarty on a flyout to right field to give Husson a five-run lead.
Exel led the way offensively for the Eagles in game one, going 3-3 from the plate, including an extra-base knock. Gregoire tallied two hits in three plate-appearances, in addition to her one RBI, while Raymond reached base three times and drove in two runs.
GAME 2:
In game two of its season-opening doubleheader, Husson fell to Mount Union (2-0), after the Purple Raiders plated all seven of their runs in the fifth and sixth innings and allowed the Eagles just two hits throughout Saturday morning's contest.
After a scoreless four innings of play to begin the game, Mount Union took advantage of three Eagle errors in the bottom-half of the fifth to plate five runs and take firm control of the game. The Purple Raiders added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to back-to-back RBI-doubles, to give them a 7-0 edge.
The Husson offense was unable to get the bats going in game two, as doubles from Exel and freshman Josie Cornell were the only hits of the contest for the Eagles.
Freshman Ana Lang got the start in the circle in game two, going 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, five runs (0 earned), three walks, in addition to striking out four batters. Sophomore Emily Rerick came in to relieve Lang, giving up three hits and two earned runs, while striking out two batters in 1.1 innings of work.
UP NEXT:
Husson will kick off day two of the Spring Games tomorrow when it plays another morning doubleheader. The Eagles will begin with a duel against Gordon College at 9:15 a.m., followed by a matchup against No. 25 Hiram College at 11:30 a.m.
