WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Husson University softball team picked up a pair of wins on Sunday at The Spring Games in Winter Haven, Florida, defeating DeSales University, 4–1, before edging Wittenberg University, 3–2, to remain unbeaten on the season.
Husson 4, DeSales 1:
In the opener against DeSales (0-1), Husson (5-0) jumped out to an early lead and relied on a strong pitching performance from junior Sierra Yates to secure the victory.
The Eagles got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Lydia Rice led off the inning with a single and came around to score during the next at-bat from senior Emily Dunbar to break the scoreless deadlock.
After a sacrifice bunt moved freshman Lilly Snow, who pinch ran for Dunbar, to third base, fellow first-year Liv Noyes knocked in the second run of the game on a fielder's choice to put the Eagles up 2-0.
Husson doubled its lead the next inning courtesy of another extra-base hit from Dunbar, as she knocked in senior Morgan Tainter and Rice, who led off the inning with walks.
DeSales scored its lone run in the fifth inning after Katie Sharkey singled and eventually came around to score on an RBI groundout, trimming the Husson lead to 4–1. Yates settled in from there and closed out the win for the Eagles.
Yates delivered a complete-game performance in the circle, allowing just three hits and one run (unearned) while striking out three. She worked around three walks and limited the Bulldogs to 1-for-7 hitting with runners in scoring position.
Dunbar led the Eagles with a 3-3 performance at the plate, including two doubles, in addition to three RBIs, while Rice added a hit and a walk.
Husson 3, Wittenberg 2:
In the second game of the day, Husson (6-0) held off Wittenberg (1-1) for a 3–2 victory behind another strong pitching effort, this time from junior Ana Lang.
The Eagles struck first in the top of the opening inning. Junior Camryn King walked and stole second and later came around to score on an RBI double by Tainter to give Husson a 1–0 lead.
Wittenberg responded with a pair of runs to move in front 2–1, but Husson answered in the fifth inning. Morgan Curtis was hit by a pitch and later scored on an RBI double from King down the line to tie the game at 2–2.
The Eagles pushed across the eventual game-winning run in the sixth inning. Rice reached base on an error and advanced on back-to-back groundouts, the first of which being a sacrifice bunt from Dunbar, before capitalizing on a wild pitch, giving Husson a 3–2 advantage heading into the final frame.
Lang went the distance in the circle for Husson, allowing just three hits and two runs, neither of which were earned, while striking out eight across seven innings to improve to 3–0 on the season. Lang has not allowed an earned run in her three starts so far this season, hurling 21 innings and compiling 31 strikeouts, while surrendering just 10 hits, including just two extra-base hits, and three walks.
Offensively, Tainter led the Eagles in the second game with two hits including a double and an RBI, while King added a double, an RBI and a run scored. Senior Tayler Watterson also recorded a hit as Husson finished with four hits in the contest.
The Eagles look to keep their unbeaten streak alive tomorrow when they take on Saint Joseph's College of Maine and Dominican University (Ill.) beginning at 4:15 p.m.
