CLERMONT, Florida – The Husson University softball team continued its stay in the Sunshine State on Sunday, earning two more wins by defeating Gordon College 4-3, in eight innings, and No. 25 Hiram College 8-6.
GAME 1:
In the first game, Husson (3-1) earned a walk-off win against Gordon (0-1) in a back and forth affair that stretched to eight innings. The Eagles utilized a three-headed effort on the mound from sophomore Emily Rerick, freshman Jazmin Johnson and sophomore Danielle Masterson, who was credited with her second win of the season. Rerick opened with 2.1 innings, behind four strikeouts, followed by Johnson with 3.2 middle innings and Masterson closing out the final two innings of the contest.
It was Husson who struck first in the bottom of the opening inning, by way of a junior Kiara McLeod RBI, getting graduate student Katie Raymond to home-plate after she took a walk, stole second base, and then advanced to third on a wild-pitch.
After Gordon tied the lead in the top of the second inning and then took the lead an inning later in the top of the third, it was the Eagles bouncing-back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior infielder Tori Exel recorded one of her three hits by way of a single, scoring sophomore Lydia Rice to tie it to a 2-2 score.
The score was then knotted up until the top of the eighth inning, taking a one-score lead, making it 3-2. Husson once again showed-off its resilience by answering with two runs of its own, in the bottom of the eighth. After a RBI double to left-center from senior Julia Gregoire sent McLeod to home, tying the score at 3-3, it was a walk-off single from sophomore Morgan Tainter that sent junior Tatyanna Biamby to home with the game-winning run.
Exel continued her savvy-hitting ways by going 3-4, with an RBI, at the plate in the opening game. Gregoire also knocked in a single RBI, going 1-1 at the plate, with two walks.
GAME 2:
After their early-morning win against Gordon, the Eagles quickly turned their attention to No. 25 Hiram College (0-2) and added another win to their early-season resume. Masterson got her third win of the season on the mound after lasting five innings, striking-out four Hiram batters, with freshman Ana Lang coming into relief for the final two innings, tallying four of her own strikeouts and earning the save.
Husson captured the lead in the first inning, after a sacrifice bunt RBI from senior Jess Pomerleau, allowing Raymond to come home for the first run of the contest. The Eagles and Hiram then traded runs, making the score 2-2 heading into the third, following freshman Josie Cornell's run on a wild pitch.
The flood gates were then blown open in the top of the third inning after Husson tallied fives onto the score. Junior Bulla McCabe scored the first run of the inning, after Gregoire reached first base on error. Sophomore Morgan Curtis then got hit by a pitch, with the bases loaded, allowing Exel to reach home. Masterson then helped herself by earning an RBI on a fielder's-choice, knocking freshman Ella Hosford home for a score. McLeod soon followed after Raymond took one of her two walks, advancing the bases. McCabe then finished off the frenzy with a single to right-field, bringing Curtis home.
Following rallies from Hiram in the fourth and sixth innings, cutting the Eagles lead to within one, Husson responded with a run of its own for good measure, after Lang scored on a wild-pitch.
McCabe led the Eagles at the plate, hitting 4-5 and driving in one run. Raymond had an all-around effort recording a triple, going 1-2, and accompanied by a run and two walks.
Husson has another morning doubleheader in its future on Monday. First pitch against Penn State Behrend is scheduled for 9:15 a.m., with a contest against Wentworth Institute of Technology soon after at 11:15 a.m.
