KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Husson University softball team played to a doubleheader split on its penultimate day of the 2024 Spring Games, as it fell to Muskingum University 2-0 in game one and defeated Simmons University 7-1 in game two.
GAME 1:
In the opening game of Thursday's two-game day, Husson (6-4) surrendered one run apiece in the second and third innings to Muskingum (7-1) and was unable to add any of its own, as it fell 2-0 to the Muskies.
Muskingum struck first in the top of the second, as an RBI-single to right-center field with runners on first and second gave the Muskies the opening run of the contest. After holding the Eagles hitless for a second-consecutive inning, Muskingum would tack on another run to double its lead. Cashing in with a runner on second and no outs in the inning, the Muskies would use back-to-back ground outs to plate their runner and tally the game's final run.
Husson's best chance to strike back came in the home-half of the fourth inning, as it placed multiple runners in scoring position, but was unable to come up with the clutch hit that it needed, ending the inning without a run. The Eagles managed just one baserunner for the remainder of the contest, as Muskingum came away with its seventh win of the season.
Four Husson hitters combined for the team's four hits during the game, as juniors Bulla McCabe and Tori Exel, sophomore Emily Dunbar and freshman Lyndsee Reed each tallied a base-knock.
Freshmen Jazmin Johnson and Ana Lang did their best to keep the Eagles in it in the circle. Johnson took the loss and lasted 5.1 innings, giving up seven hits, two earned runs and no walks, in addition to striking out one Muskie batter. Lang cleaned-up the final 1.2 innings, allowing just one baserunner and added one strikeout.
GAME 2:
In the finale of the day, Husson rode the hot bats of Exel, junior Kiara McLeod and sophomore Morgan Curtis, in addition to a strong complete-game performance in the circle from freshman Sierra Yates to come away with a 7-1 win over Simmons (3-4).
After two scoreless innings started the game, the Eagles drew first blood in the top of the third courtesy of a McLeod single. McLeod took advantage of runners on first and second as she ripped a single up the middle which scored freshman Camryn King from second base and moved senior Olivia McCarty to second. Exel maintained her hot start to her junior campaign, as she doubled down the right field line and plated McCarty, while advancing McLeod to third. McCabe capped-off the third inning scoring for Husson, as she singled and scored McLeod.
The Eagles struck again in their next turn at-bat, as a Curtis lead-off double was not wasted, as senior Jess Pomerleau would bring in Curtis with two outs, as she reached on an error that allowed Curtis to score.
Husson added another unearned tally in the sixth inning, as King would reach on a throwing error with one out. Graduate student Katie Raymond moved King over to third after she had previously stolen second base and King would add the fifth run of the game for the Eagles, as she scored when McCarty reached base due to another Sharks error.
Following a solo home run from Simmons in the home-half of the sixth, the Eagles would tack on two more runs in their final turn at-bat. A triple from Curtis would bring in freshman Josie Cornell, who reached on a fielder's choice, and junior Tatyanna Biamby, who tallied a single, and would bring the score to 7-1 in favor of Husson.
Exel posted her third three-hit outing of the season so far in the win, while McLeod and Curtis each added two hits. Curtis tallied two RBIs, in addition to King recording two runs scored.
Yates made her first appearance of the season in the circle and did not disappoint. The freshman went the distance, hurling a 116-pitch, one-run complete-game, while allowing just five hits and one walk, in addition to striking out four Shark hitters.
Husson concludes its participation in the Spring Games tomorrow with one final doubleheader against Calvin University and Roger Williams University, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
