Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Softball Sweeps Chapman on Opening Day in California

Recap, photo courtesy of Ithaca College
ORANGE, Calif. – The No. 3 Ithaca College softball team opened up its season on Saturday with a sweep of Chapman University in California. Ithaca took the first game 4-1 before winning the second 6-2.

Game 1 | IC 4, Chapman 1

After one inning of scoreless play, Ithaca struck first, putting a run on the board in the top of the second.

First-year Daniella Mulvey singled to left field and advanced to second on a fielder's choice play. Mulvey moved again on a Nikkey Skuraton single to short and was eventually driven in by Vanessa Brown.

The Bombers struck again in the top of the third inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Panthers.

Sophomore Gabby Laccona led off the inning with a single up the middle and then stole second to put herself in scoring position. Senior Alex Wright then sent a single through the right side to score Laccona.

After another one and one-half innings of scoreless play, the Bombers put another run on the board in the top of the fifth inning.

Brown led off with a single to right center and then stole second base. Laccona followed that up with a single of her own to right center, scoring Brown and giving the Bombers a 3-0 advantage.

Chapman scored its lone run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kyra Gallego led off with a walk and Allie Tajii, who came on to pinch run for Gallego advanced to second when Elizabeth Runge was hit by a pitch. Both runners then advanced a base on a while pitch before Tajii scored on a Christine LoVerde sacrifice fly.

Ithaca added one final run in the top of the seventh inning, starting with a Laccona single through the right side. A single from right advanced Laccona to third base and she scored on an Abby Shields sacrifice fly.

Laccona finished 3-for-4 on the day with two runs scored and one RBI. Wright went 2-for-3 while Mulvey finished 2-for-2 in her first collegiate game.

As a team, the Bombers scattered 11 hits and let up just three to Chapman.

Senior Haley Congdon picked up the win in the circle, allowing three hits in 5.2 innings of work. Sophomore Emily Holden came on to pitch 1.1 innings and earn the save.

Game 2 | IC 6, Chapman 2

Ithaca once against struck first in the second game, putting up a run in the top of the second inning.

Shields started things off with a single up the middle and then stole second to put herself in scoring position. Senior Hannah Anderson then drove Shields in with a double to right field, giving IC a 1-0 edge.

The Panthers, however, responded immediately with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Hope Ballard drew a walk to lead off the inning and advanced a base on a Mykala Tokunaga sacrifice bunt. Ballard scored on a Gallego double to left field.

The Bombers had a two-run inning in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead over the Panthers.

Shields led off with a single through the right side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Cooney then drew a walk and both runners scored on a Frankie-Ann McCauley double to the left side.

The top of the fifth inning was another two-run inning for Ithaca.

Brown reached base on an error by Chapman's pitcher and then stole second. Laccona followed that up with a walk and both runners advanced a base on a passed ball. Both Brown and Laccona scored, unearned on a Wright double to center field.

Ithaca added its final run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, starting with a Brown walk and a stolen base. Wright followed that up with a walk before Brown reached third on a wild pitch. Shields drew a walk which also sent Wright to second to load the bases.

The Bombers' sixth run of the game scored on a Cooney single to centerfield, which brought in Brown and forced a Chapman pitching change.

The Panthers put together one final rally that produced a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Morgan Gallegos singled the pitcher and advanced to second on a Tokunaga single to short. Runge then hit a two-out single to center to drive in Gallegos.

Shields finished the second game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Sophomore Beth Fleming picked up her first win of the season, pitching a complete game with 11 strikeouts in seven innings of work.

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