Softball Picks Up First Victory of 2015 in Split
Sarah Recanati scored a run and earned her first pitching victory of the year

Softball Picks Up First Victory of 2015 in Split

Softball - 3/29/2015 6:41:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Scranton, PA - Playing in its first game in 16 days, the Marywood University softball team picked up its first victory of the season after splitting a doubleheader with Gwynedd Mercy University Sunday. The defending Colonial States Athletic Conference champions kicked off their conference slate with 5-3 victory over the Griffins before falling 8-3 in the nightcap.

Marywood moves to 1-9 overall and 1-1 in the CSAC. Gwynedd Mercy sits at 6-4 overall and 1-1 in the CSAC.

In the first game, Sarah Recanati earned the victory by allowing two earned runs in a complete game effort. Despite yielding 10 hits, Recanati stranded nine Griffins on base in a two strikeout performance.

Alexa Scala went 2 for 4 with a double, run scored and an RBI in her home debut. Mariah Runco provided two hits and reached safely on all three trips to the plate. Mackie Goodwin swiped two bases.

After Gwynedd Mercy put up one in the first, the Pacers responded with three in the bottom of the frame. Four straight batters reached thanks to three free passes. Stephanie Bagniewski roped a single to the left side to bring in the go-ahead run. Marywood tacked on a third run thanks to a Kate Grimes RBI.

Scala doubled to lead off the second and scored on a wild pitch. Marywood added another to extend the lead to 5-1 in the third inning when Scala drove in with a RBI single to shallow center field.

Goodwin saved Marywood from a jam in the fifth inning. With the tying run at the plate and runners on second and third, the freshman leftfielder tracked down a deep fly to the warning track and made an extended grab to thwart the threat.

Errors and mental errors plagued the Pacers in the nightcap. Scala posted her second multi-hit game of the day with a 2 for 3 effort. Chelsea Epler reached four times on two hits and two walks. Heather Schultz garnered the team's lone RBI.

Gwynedd Mercy led off the game with a pair of singles from Jennifer Whalen and Jessica Mower. Megan Kelly drove in the first run, and Nikki Canfield's triple to right field provided the Griffins a 2-0 lead.

The first three innings left the Pacers with squandered opportunities for the third out. In the bottom of the first, Marywood came away empty handed when leftfielder Tara Matteo threw Scala out at home plate. In the second, Epler was picked off at third on a 2-4-5 play. An inning later, Kathleen Rossi was gunned down at third base to end the inning.

Trailing by five in the fourth, Marywood scored two runs to trim the deficit. Brooke Labs, Runco and Epler loaded the bases with three walks. A fourth walk yielded to Schultz scored Labs. Runco came across the plate on a wild pitch. A Goodwin blooper over the head of the third baseman handcuffed both runners in scoring position, loading the bases. Gwynedd Mercy forced a pop up to right field to end the inning.

Marywood left 11 runners on base in the second game. Labs and Runco each doubled. The Griffins edged the Pacers with an 11-10 advantage in hits. The Pacers committed three errors.

Alyssa Bavaro took the loss by going six strong, allowing three earned runs and striking out three. Emily Perruso pitched an inning of relief.

Gwynedd Mercy's Jennifer Whalen came out of the bullpen to earn the victory. She pitched 3 2/3 innings and let up just one earned run and four hits.

Marywood will host Keystone College on Wednesday, April 1, beginning at 3:00 pm.
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