CLERMONT, Fla. (March 6, 2016) – The Fighting Scots opened their 2016 season down south, splitting a pair of games at Hancock Park in Clermont, Florida. Edinboro used a nine-hit effort in the season opener to defeat Dowling, 8-2, before suffering a 7-6 loss at the hands of familiar foe Pitt-Johnstown. Edinboro closed the books on opening day with 1-1 record.
The Fighting Scots continue their 12-game spring trip tomorrow, March 7, with another pair of games. Edinboro will take on Walsh (OH) at 9 a.m. and Assumption at 1 p.m.
Game One – Edinboro 8, Dowling 2Edinboro wasted no time in flashing some offense in the opening game of the season. After leadoff hitter
Kylie Mason took first after being hit by a pitch, she moved to second base following a
Heather Tighe sacrifice bunt.
Taylor Payne ripped a single into left field to drive Mason in and give Edinboro a 1-0 lead.
Dowling answered quickly, snatching a 2-1 lead following a two-run second inning. That was the only offense the Golden Lions, however, as a pitching combination of
Carley Nasca and
Kalet Lenart kept the Dowling bats in check.
Trailing 2-1 at the top of the third, the Fighting Scots orchestrated a four-run inning to take control for good. MaryLouise Linder reached first on a single and advanced to second after a
Kylie Mason sacrifice bunt.
Heather Tighe stepped in the batter's box and drove the runner in with a double to left field. After a
Haley Struebing walk and a throwing error that advanced Tighe to third, Payne singled to left center, bringing in Tighe from third.
Brooke Callaghan followed up with a double to drive in Struebing and Fleckenstein flew out to deep center to score Payne.
Edinboro added a pair of runs in the fifth inning thanks to a
Jessica Hyland double that brought home two Fighting Scots. Edinboro added one more run for insurance in the top of the seventh.
Nasca recorded the win for Edinboro, pitching four innings and giving up just three hits while striking out three batters. Lenart entered the game in the fifth inning, recording a save, while striking out a pair of batters and giving up five hits.
Game Two – Pitt-Johnstown 7, Edinboro 6The Fighting Scots once again jumped out to an early lead, but were unable to secure the victory in the second game of the day.
Haley Struebing followed up a
Heather Tighe walk with adouble down the left field line.
Taylor Payne drove in Tighe in the next at bat with a deep fly to center field and
Brooke Callaghan singled to drive in Struebing to take a 2-0 lead.
After Pitt-Johnstown tied the game up at 2-2 in the second inning,
Theresa Fleckenstein and Callaghan brought a pair of runners home to give the Fighting Scots a 4-2 lead. Edinboro added two more runs in the fifth inning thanks to a
Taylor Payne RBI and Fleckenstein's second RBI of the night.
Pitt-Johnstown answered swiftly in the top of the sixth inning, scoring five runs to take a 7-6 lead.
The Fighting Scots were sat down in order in the bottom of the sixth and held Pitt-Johnstown scoreless in the top of the seventh to set themselves up with a chance to win or tie in the bottom of the seventh.
Tighe led off the inning with a single up the middle, but Struebing popped up to short followed by a pair of fly balls as the comeback effort came to an end.
Emily Moore threw a complete game for the Lady Cats as she recorded her first win of the season, striking out two and giving up ten hits on the night.
Samantha Weaver received the loss in the contest, dropping to 0-1 on the season.
